Where he plays next season is not something that Philippe Coutinho will decide on in the coming days. His focus is on Bayern Munich's Champions League final match with Paris Saint-Germain and winning the showdown before choosing the new landing spot, which likely will boil down between Arsenal and Chelsea.
Coutinho's last game with the Bavarians is on Sunday, and win or lose he will be with a new team next season. The Brazilian's loan deal will end on the same day and the German side has opted not to sign the winger permanently.
The next stop for the player is still a question mark as reports from Spain indicated that Barcelona, Coutinho's parent club, will want to get him off their books, and if possible seal a deal this summer. The side to sign up with, however, is not a pressing issue for the 28-year-old, at least at the moment.
"My mind is fully focused on the competition. It's a unique opportunity for us. I'm very happy to be in the Champions League final," Goal reported the Barca man as saying.
He added that his future will be defined once his commitment to Bayern is completed. Speculations are rife, however, that Coutinho is set for a return to the league he left in January 2018 to play for Barcelona.
According to John Barnes, the Barca outcast is moving from Bundesliga to the Premier League next season, and there several landing spots awaiting the star. Liverpool though will not be on the option as club boss Jurgen Klopp had repeatedly made clear that inserting Coutinho back to the Reds roster could create instability.
Tottenham could be in play as well but Barnes said the Spurs under Jose Mourinho would not be the perfect fit for Coutinho.
Instead, the Brazilian is tipped to blend well in London where he could either join up with Arsenal or Chelsea, Barnes said.
The former Liverpool man said he sees Coutinho flourishing at the Emirates, where manager Mikel Arteta is in the process of rebuilding the side and will be needing quality talents such as the Brazilian winger.
"Arsenal could be the best club with the style of football they play," Team Talk reported Barnes as saying.
If the transfer to North London will not materialize, then the Blues are a good choice as well. The manner that Frank Lampard is setting up the Chelsea squad will make Coutinho a welcome addition to Stamford Bridge, said the pundit for ESPN.
Barnes also ruled out a gig for Coutinho at Manchester City and insisted that "Arsenal or Chelsea would be the best solution," for the Brazilian star.
