Barcelona will flog Coutinho in a bid to fund sensational transfer deal to bring Neymar back to the Nou Camp
Former Liverpool playmaker has struggled to establish himself at the Nou Camp and now his future at Barca is under threat amid hopes of bringing Neymar back
BARCELONA are considering flogging Philippe Coutinho to fund their bid to re-sign Neymar.
Coutinho has only been at the Nou Camp for a year following a £142million move from Liverpool which made him the third most-expensive player in history.
Barca pushed hard to capture the 26-year-old from Anfield as they looked to fill the void left Neymar following his controversial switch to Paris Saint-Germain.
But just 12 months on the claim the playmaker's future at the Nou Camp is now under threat because the Spanish club want to bring back the man he was bought to replace.
Coutinho made a good impact in his first six months at the club, scoring ten goals in 22 appearances for the side.
But in the current campaign he has found it harder to make an impression, despite the team doing well in La Liga and in Europe.
Philippe Coutinho has struggled to replicate his Liverpool form at BarcelonaIt has reached the point where he has only started one of the past five matches - and that was the final Champions League group match against Tottenham when Barca fielded a near reserve team.
And with the club serious in their interest in bringing Neymar back to the Nou Camp, his position now looks under threat.
The suggestions in Spain are that the club know they need to sell before they can afford the kind of money it would take to bring the PSG man back.
And Coutinho is seen as one of the assets they could cash in on to raise the funds needed to put together a deal.
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PSG have insisted they have no intention of selling their star player two years after making him the most expensive signing in history.
But the Brazilian has openly admitted he misses life in Barcelona, and if the French club fail to progress in Europe again this year it could prove to be a decisive moment.
Barca's South American scout met with Neymar's advisers last month, and it is believed the played is open to the prospect of returning.
And though relations between the two clubs were strained, Neymar and his father hold huge power over his future and could yet force the issue.