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Leicester targeting Coutinho coup after dramatic price drop

Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers is reportedly keen on a being reunited with former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho.

Coutinho has two years left on his contract at Barcelona after his January 2018 mega move to the Camp Nou. Liverpool struck an initial £106m transfer with a further £36m of add-ons. But his time in Catalonia has been far from successful.

He still has two years remaining on his contract, but Barca are keen to sell the midfielder for as little as €20m just to get him off their wage bill.

Barcelona are also understood to be due to pay Liverpool another £18m if he reaches 100 games for the club.

The 29-year-old has made 90 appearances for the Catalan club and so it’s understood they are keen to offload him this summer to avoid him reaching a century.

Now, according to Mundo Deportivo, Leicester boss Rodgers is keen to get a deal done for Coutinho after working with the player at Anfield.

Rodgers and Leicester are said to be eyeing a move for the Brazilian and the reduced €20m fee will be no problem. If a permanent transfer is not agreed then they will pursue a season-long loan deal.

They will though have to negotiate a reduction in the player’s wages.

Coutinho is understood to earn over £200,000 a week at the Camp Nou, dwarfing top earner Jamie Vardy’s £140,000 a week deal.

Coutinho made just eight LaLiga starts last season after spending last season in the Bundesliga on loan at Bayern.

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Barcelona sales

He produced some of his best performances since leaving Merseyside with the Bavarians. As well as winning the league, cup and Champions League, he also scored 11 goals in 38 outings.

 

Bayern though opted against making the deal a permanent one and he returned to Barca last summer.

Coutinho will not be the only big-name departure from Barcelona this summer.

Goal reportedly recently that Barcelona had reportedly put a staggering 18 players on the transfer.

The Spanish club are desperate to slash costs with a huge wage bill.

President Joan Laporta is desperate to hang on to Lionel Messi and will axe the likes of  Martin Braithwaite, Miralem Pjanic, Neto and Junior Firpo this summer.

READ MORE: Liverpool told why their perfect Wijnaldum replacement is a pipe dream

 

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