The coronavirus pandemic is putting a strain on the finances of elite clubs in Europe and consequently, players are affected. A glaring example is Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho, whose reported return to the Premier League could be derailed by clubs struggling with their resources.
Coutinho is set to return from a loan deal in Bayern Munich and if reports are to be believed, Barcelona will want to offload the Brazilian star in hopes of recouping the £105 million transfer fee paid when he was acquired from Barcelona.
The Daily Star said Chelsea will want to bring the winger to Stamford Bridge but the £70 million asking price by Camp Nou is preventing Blues boss Frank Lampard to forward with a deal. It seemed that for Coutinho, the plan is to acquire him on a loan deal.
The hesitation on Chelsea's part was brought in large part by the financial limitations directly brought by the COVID-19 spread. Already, the Blues hierarchy appealed to Chelsea players to agree on a pay cut, which other football clubs like Barcelona and Real Madrid have earlier implemented.
The report said the Chelsea first-team members have approved the proposal following the initiative made by Lampard. The team manager has given the go signal for Chelsea to pay him 25 percent less.
Given that Chelsea will be in saving mode for as long as the global health crisis remains unresolved, it can be assumed that the fate of Coutinho hangs in the balance for now. Reports said that apart from Lampard's side, other Premier League clubs are looking to land the Brazil international.
Yet while Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United are watching the development on Coutinho's transfer journey, the reality is these clubs are dictated by financial considerations that could prevent them from pursuing a deal on the player.
To illustrate how serious the issue is, Mirror reported that the Barcelona board might be constrained to make payments to Liverpool concerning the transfer deal forged by the two clubs on Coutinho. It is understood that the agreement on the winger requires the Catalan side to issue compensation to the Merseyside club.
The payment will be determined by Coutinho's showing so far with the Spanish giants, which as indicated by Barca's intent to sell him is below expectations.
The lack of impact by the Brazilian could lead to Liverpool missing out on the £35 million anchored on the player's superb performance. In addition, the report said Camp Nou could be forced to beg off from its obligation as revenues have dried up due to the halted La Liga season.
"Barca are currently in the midst of ongoing money worries and infighting at board level, with the club's players taking a huge 70 percent pay cut to help out during the coronavirus pandemic," said the report.
