Tottenham Hotspur ready to accept Barcelona outcast, but at zero cost

Philippe Coutinho’s signing has been one of the worst transfer business that Barcelona have done in recent years.

Brought in from Liverpool in a club-record deal worth €135 million plus add-ons, the Brazilian never got going at Camp Nou and has spent his entire four-year stint with the club as a peripheral figure.

Pocketing massive wages worth around €22.9 million per year, the 29-year-old is burning a hole through the pockets for Barça, who are eager to get him off the books at the earliest possible.

In order to move him on, club president Joan Laporta has even slashed his asking price to just €20 million, reports El Nacional. It is claimed that Premier League club Newcastle United were willing to shell out that amount, but Coutinho rejected their advances.

Another club from England have now emerged in pursuit of the Brazilian playmaker in the form of Tottenham Hotspur. The Lilywhites’ manager, Antonio Conte, is ready to take Coutinho off Barcelona’s hands, but there is a catch.

As per the report, Spurs would only be willing to sign the ex-Liverpool superstar free of cost but will bear his entire €440,000-a-week wages. While the prospect of shedding his humungous salary appeals to Barça, Laporta has rejected the north London outfit’s proposal and has stood firm on the €20 million valuation of Coutinho.

The midfielder, for his part, has accepted his fate and is ready to move on from Camp Nou. Furthermore, it is claimed that his agent is already holding positive talks with the likes of Arsenal and Everton over the possibility of a transfer in January.

Whether either of them is willing to meet Laporta’s transfer fee demand for the former Inter Milan midfielder remains to be seen. For now though, a move to Tottenham could be unlikely unless they are willing to stump up Barcelona’s asking price.