Philippe Coutinho has reportedly changed his mind about Arsenal after initially snubbing an approach from the north London club.
Barcelona are looking for a buyer for the Brazilian this summer, or at least a club willing to take Coutinho off their hands for another season, and pay his wages.
Arsenal, Tottenham and Leicester City are all interested in snapping up the former Liverpool midfielder, who has his heart set on a return to the Premier League.
But when the Gunners first came calling, Coutinho rebuffed their approach.
The Gunners, like Barcelona, have tightened their purse strings in recent months and are unwilling to splash an excessive amount of money on the Brazilian.
Barcelona are looking for €20million (£18m) up front, if a club wants to loan Coutinho for the season, as well as an additional €10m (£9m) to cover his wages.
When Arsenal made an approach, they asked Coutinho if he would be willing to take a pay cut to enable them to get a loan deal over the line.
The Brazilian was unwilling, but according to Spanish publication Sport, the deal is still on the table and Coutinho may be having second thoughts.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that Coutinho has no future at Barcelona and that the club needs him off its wage bill, which is the most inflated in world football.
The Brazilian, who spent last season on loan at Bayern Munich, favours a move to England, where he enjoyed great success with Liverpool.
His agent Kia Joorabchian even confirmed this to be true in a recent interview.
Joorabchian said: “We are looking to see if an option becomes available in the Premier League because that’s where he’s already enjoyed success.”
Coutinho will likely make a decision following Arsenal’s FA Cup final clash with Chelsea.
A win for the Gunners will see them qualify for the Champions League, which will make them an even more desirable club.
source:- fcnaija
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