Barcelona FC may need to settle another big debt unless they settle the case of Philippe Coutinho. Currently, with Bayern Munich on loan, there are murmurs that Barca plans to bring back the Brazilian and play at Camp Nou next season. But the problem there is that a previous clause could see Barcelona paying Liverpool another $22 million.
The reason behind this is a clause that was set in place with Barca acquired Coutinho back in 2017. It turns out that part of the deal was that if the Brazilian reaches 100 appearances, Barca would need to pay The Reds an additional fee, The Times reported. Aside from spending a hefty $131 million for Coutinho, Barcelona also paid for the add-ons worth $16.3 million. There is also a clause that calls for Barca to pay an additional $54 million if the team wins the Champions League. The only way Barca can avoid paying that debt is if they sell the Brazilian footballer to another team. With most teams cash-strapped at the moment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, their options are limited.
Secondly, seeing Barca keep Coutinho may not make sense. The 27-year-old has not done that well with Bayern. Aside from that, the midfielder recently underwent ankle surgery. He will be out for 14-days but is not expected to miss any games. Regardless, there is no telling what condition he may be in once he returns to the field.
If Barca ends up deciding to shop Coutinho, there is only one logical team that could save them the trouble. Newcastle is singled out as one of the teams that have the budget to spare. Aside from that, the team will be bringing in new investors from Saudi Arabia. The new owners are interested in Coutinho although it all depends on who will manage the team.
A name that has cropped up is Mauricio Pochettino. Connecting the dots, Pochettino is an avid admirer of Coutinho. With him and the new owners on the same page, it could be the deal that Barca needs to spare them of paying millions more heading towards the next season.
For now, all eyes are on when football action will resume. Most teams are starting to recall players with plans to restart the league by June 8. Though the COVID-19 virus remains up in the air, the United Kingdom is incrementally easing lockdown restrictions. But if games do continue, they will be held behind closed doors - meaning no fans will be in attendance.
