Manchester City weighing up a shock move for Barcelona misfit
Ferran Torres’ injury has provided Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola with a big blow ahead of what is a gruelling schedule starting from the Burnley game. The Spaniard has suffered a serious metatarsal fracture to his foot that will sideline him for almost three months.
It is highly unfortunate news for Manchester City, one that could come back to haunt the club’s inability to sign a striker in the summer transfer window. Pep Guardiola does have versatile forwards like Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling but both are not ruthless finishers in front of goal.
However, the latest reports emanating from Spanish sources suggest the Sky Blues are not targeting a midfielder rather than a striker. As per Catalan outlet El Nacional, Barcelona playmaker Philippe Coutinho has been linked with a shock move to Manchester City.
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The Brazilian international, 29, joined Barcelona from Liverpool in January 2018 as arguably the best player in the Premier League. He seemed a perfect fit at Barcelona considering how well he was stitching the play at Liverpool with the likes of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino and consistently scoring goals as well.
In what has certainly surprised many; however, Philippe Coutinho’s move to Barcelona hasn’t worked at all. Recurrent injury problems has been one of the main reasons for the 29-year-old midfielder’s failure to live up to the lofty price tag and expectations of the Camp Nou faithful.
Such has been the Brazilian international’s fall from grace that Barcelona were open to letting him leave last summer, with Arsenal and Everton contemplating making a move. In the end, none of the Premier League duo gambled on the player due to his fitness concerns, El Nacional claim.
After six months out injured, Coutinho played his first game against Granada last month. While he is starting to get minutes under Ronald Koeman, it appears Barcelona aren’t fully convinced with him and are ready to offload him in the next window should they get an offer of around €30 million, the report adds.
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The rumoured fee quoted by the Catalan club has appealed to Pep Guardiola and the Manchester City boss feels he can help Coutinho get back to his best that once made him a star in England. However, the El Nacional states the Sky Blues will have the newly-minted Newcastle United as a competition for the Barcelona misfit.
Given the problems Man City are facing at the moment, it is bizarre to see the club linked with a move for Coutinho, who appears a long way off from getting back to his best for club and country.