Chelsea on alert as Barcelona willing to accept players to swap for Philippe Coutinho - report

Photo by M. Donato/FC Bayern via Getty Images

The Catalans are aware that Chelsea are not willing to meet the asking price

FC Barcelona, aware that Chelsea do not want to meet the asking price for Philippe Coutinho, are now open to the possibility of accepting players in a swap deal, according to a new report.

The Blues, as well as Tottenham Hotspur, were considered to be out of the running for Coutinho because they ruled him out at the price the Catalans are asking for, 90 million euro.

But this new formula could attract buyers, who up to this point were interested in a loan option. Speaking of loans, Coutinho is right now on loan to Bayern Munich. They have an option to make the transfer permanent, but it’s widely expected they will not use it. This experience has apparently made Barcelona deny loan offers, with the priority being a way to fully get rid of the Brazilian.

Despite the fact that Quique Setién is said to be a fan of his, Coutinho’s future seems almost certainly to be outside the Camp Nou. Neither Juventus or Inter Milan seem interested in him, either, which means he is likely headed back to the Premier League.

The blaugrana will seek around 50 or 60 million cash for him, plus a player - perhaps a left-back or a central defender - valued at around 30 million.

Newcastle United are also said to be interested, but they have a long shopping list and it’s unclear how serious they are in for the Brazilian. Everton, Leicester City, and Manchester United were once rumored destinations for him, but they have fallen off the map since.

Source: barcablaugranes.com