Philippe Coutinho’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, has refused his client’s move to Arsenal this summer, saying the midfielder could remain at FC Barcelona.
Coutinho left Liverpool FC for Camp Nou at the January 2018 moving window. He scored 10 goals in 22 appearances in his first season. In the following campaign, which was his first full season at Barcelona, the Brazilian scored only 11 times in 54 games. Barcelona received Coutinho on a $185 million contract and, until the end of the 2018-19 season, the club’s idea that the player had not done justice at its price.
Prior to the 2019–2020 season, Barcelona ceded Coutinho to Bayern Munich, where the 28-year-old has scored nine goals in 35 competitive matches. The transfer agreement had a purchase option, but the German champions did not provoke that clause, leaving Barcelona stuck with a player who was obviously not part of their plans.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, several football clubs have been financially affected, adding the Spanish giants. It is understood that the club will download several players this summer and Coutinho is included in this list.
Antoine Griezmann has been associated with a summer transfer to Barcelona. In the photo, Griezmann of Atletico Madrid controls the ball under pressure from Philippe Coutinho of FC Barcelona. La Liga fits between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid at Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain, on March 4, 2018. Photo: Alex Caparrós / Getty Images
It was recently reported that Coutinho had agreed non-public terms with Arsenal to loan them for next season. However, his super agent Joorabchian told the online sports page talkSPORT that Coutinho’s long career would be at the end of the 2019–20 Champions League.
“Once the Champions League is over, no matter what, we’ll sit down. Possibly Barcelona is the final destination. He loves the Premier League, but COVID’s finances, numbers and scenario will unfold. He’s a wonderful player with big numbers,” Joorabchian added in his interview with talkSPORT.
Joorabchian, who also represents Chelsea striker Willian, has refused to verify his Brazilian client’s signing for Arsenal, saying the player’s long career will soon be announced. After seven years at Chelsea, Willian, 32, is expected to leave the Blues as an agent on the loose this summer. He recently showed his way out in an open letter to Chelsea fans. He has been closely associated with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, as Willian is believed to have passed medical checks and signed a three-contract contract with the North London club.