Philippe Coutinho’s hopes of a return to the Premier League may rely on whether Mauricio Pochettino takes over at Newcastle United under prospective new owners.
Current Magpies owner Mike Ashley is set to sell the club amid heavy interest from Saudi and American parties, both of whom have made the former Tottenham Hotspur coach their priority managerial target.
Meanwhile, Coutinho looks destined to leave Camp Nou this summer after spending this season on loan with Bayern Munich.
The Brazilian playmaker’s agent said last month that his client “would love” a return to the Premier League, escalating speculation linking Coutinho with a move to Chelsea.
However, the Blues are unwilling to meet Barcelona’s £87m asking price for the 27-year-old and Newcastle have emerged as a suitor thanks to Pochettino’s admiration for the former Liverpool man.
Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo report that a previous approach for Coutinho by Pochettino was blocked by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and that the Argentinian coach could swoop again.
“Pochettino already tried last summer to sign Coutinho for Tottenham and if he did not succeed it was because of President Levy’s irreparable enmity with the Brazilian’s agent,” the report claims.
“Now, without personal issues involved, Coutinho could reach a club for which, in recent months, [Antoine] Griezmann has also sounded.”
A marquee signing of Coutinho or Griezmann at St James’ Park would be a statement of intent for a Newcastle under new ownership.
The report adds that Pochettino “would become the leader of a project, such as the one in which Manchester City began, and who wants to place Newcastle in the super elite of football”.
Pochettino is currently odds-on favourite to take over at Newcastle from current manager Steve Bruce. The Magpies are currently 13th in the Premier League and have scored just 25 goals in 29 games this season.
Source:- All Football
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