Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona: Liverpool star wanted as Antoine Griezmann cannot join
BARCELONA have set aside their interest in Antoine Griezmann until next summer so they can concentrate of landing Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele this month.
Barcelona want to sign Philippe Coutinho (right) this year and Antoine Griezmann next summer
Barcelona want to sign Griezmann but the striker has refused to leave Atletico Madrid.
Atletico cannot sign a replacement due to a FIFA-imposed transfer ban that prevents them from fielding new recruits until January.
And Barca have therefore decided the shelve their interest in the France international until the end of the season.
Instead, they will chase playmakers Coutinho and Dembele this summer, according to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo.
The report claims Barca’s technical director Robert Fernandez is on the hunt for new recruits and has cash to spend following Neymar’s £200million switch to Paris Saint-Germain.
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Antoine Griezmann has already pledged to stay at Atletico Madrid this season
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Ousmane Dembele is also on Barcelona's radar
Coutinho could cost Barca as much as £90m, with Liverpool having already rejected a £72m offer.
The Reds don’t want to sell their star man and are under no pressure to do so, having locked him down to a new long-term contract in January.
Borussia Dortmund are also keen to keep their gem Dembele but a £72m offer plus add-ons will supposedly get that deal over the line.
Coutinho and Dembele are not seen as direct replacements for Neymar, Mundo Deportivo claim.
Sublime assist shows why Barcelona want Liverpool's Coutinho
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Manager Ernesto Valverde is said to have earmarked Griezmann as the man to take over the Brazilian's mantle - and in doing so will drop his interest in Juventus’ Paulo Dybala and Kylian Mbappe of Monaco.
Both men would cost Barca over £100m.
Instead, Coutinho and Dembele are seen as targets to help compliment Andres Iniesta’s game this season.
Barca have failed to sign an understudy for Iniesta - PSG’s Marco Verratti was targeted for this role - and so Valverde wants to recruit complementary playmakers to feed off the Spaniard instead.
