Man Utd ‘make transfer enquiry to Barcelona over Philippe Coutinho’ while Chelsea also interested
PHILIPPE COUTINHO holds the key to Barcelona signing Neymar — as they try and spark a bidding war between Manchester United and Chelsea.
According to , the two Premier League big hitters are interested in bringing the former Liverpool attacking midfielder back to English football.
That would give the Nou Camp club — recently valued the richest in world football — the cash to go out and spend on Neymar, 28, and reunite him with Lionel Messi.
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Their plan B if the Neymar deal fails is Inter Milan forward Laurtaro Martinez, who is Messi's Argentina team-mate and has impressed under Antonio Conte this season at the San Siro.
Coutinho, 27, has scored nine goals in 32 games this season while on loan at Bayern Munich and would likely cost set back Manchester United or Chelsea around £100million.
But the Spanish media are not interested in giving him much positive publicity, despite the fact that he was one of Jurgen Klopp's star players at Liverpool.
Mundo Deportivo also describe United's midfield as having a "grey core" which is partly true, but the Red Devils would point at the acquisition of Bruno Fernandes as a change in standards and quality.
Whether the Portuguese manages to play alongside Paul Pogba before the Frenchman inevitably leaves at the end of the season is anyone's guess — but the prospect of the pair playing together in the Old Trafford midfield is mouthwatering.
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Chelsea could also bring in Coutinho as a replacement for another former Barcelona man, Pedro.
The ageing Spaniard, 32, is set to be let go by Frank Lampard at the end of the season, whenever the season even concludes.
A player like Coutinho would be perfect for Lampard's youthful squad with the Blues looking to the future and needing a player to replace fan favourite Eden Hazard.
