The latest reports from Spain indicate that Tottenham Hotspur have not given up their rumoured pursuit of Philippe Coutinho.
Coutinho has looked a shadow of the player he was previously following his £142million move to Barcelona (BBC) and has also experienced a frustrating stint in Germany this season on loan at Bayern Munich.
Football Insider reported last week that Spurs were willing to pay a multi-million-pound loan fee to land the 27-year-old, only for a report by Marca earlier this week poured cold water on Tottenham’s hopes of landing the former Liverpool star.
It was claimed that the Lilywhites cannot are now prepared to fund Coutinho’s €200,000 a week wages and that Jose Mourinho is not contemplating a move for the midfielder.
Mundo Deportivo (as relayed by Sport Witness) suggest that Spurs are still very much in the race for the Barcelona playmaker and are battling it out with Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle United, Leicester City and Manchester United for his signature.
The report claims that Mauricio Pochettino wanted Coutinho at Spurs last summer and that despite the Argentine being replaced by Mourinho at the helm, the midfielder ‘does not rule out’ a move to Tottenham.
Spurs Web Opinion
If we were to land Coutinho on loan, I cannot see him playing regularly. Whether we adopt a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3, it would be very hard to fit in the likes of Dele, Ndombele, Lo Celso, Sissoko, Winks (and potentially Hojbjerg or another defensive midfielder) into the same team, let alone the Barcelona star.
Coutinho can also play on the left-hand side but he certainly will not be as effective as Son or Bergwijn in that role. So, I do not see us breaking the bank to sign the Brazilian given that we are not desperate for a player like him.
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