Done Deal
OVER AND COUT
Philippe Coutinho seals season-long loan transfer to Bayern Munich and hands Liverpool £18m windfall
PHILIPPE COUTINHO has finally ended his Barcelona misery by joining Bayern Munich.
Bayern will pay £7.78million to take the forward on a season-long loan with the option to make the move permanent next summer for £110m.
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The Brazilian star has been linked with a move away from the Nou Camp for months.
Manchester United, old club Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham were all rumoured to be interested in the 27-year-old Brazilian forward.
Now he is heading to the Bundesliga giants.
A Barca statement confirmed: “FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich have reached an agreement for the loan of the player Philippe Coutinho to the German club for the 2019/20 season.
“Bayern Munich will pay 8.5 million euros and the player’s wages.
“The agreement also sees an option to buy for Bayern fixed at 120 million euros.”
The statement added: “FC Barcelona would like to publicly thank Philippe Coutinho for his commitment and dedication and wishes him all the best in this new stage of his career.”
Former employers Liverpool are also set to net a tidy sum from the move.
The Reds will pocket around £18m due to a sell-on clause inserted into the £145m deal that took the South American from Anfield to the Nou Camp in January 2018.
Coutinho, who will wear the No.10 shirt at his new club, said: “For me, this change represents a new challenge in a new country at one of the best clubs in Europe.
“I am really looking forward to this. I have big goals like Bayern, and I'm sure I can do it with my new team-mates.”
Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: “We have been working with Philippe Coutinho for some time and are very happy that we were able to realise this transfer now. Our thanks to FC Barcelona for agreeing to this transfer.
“In Philippe, a player comes to FC Bayern, who will strengthen our offensive with his creativity and excellent technique.”
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And Sports Director Hasan Salihamidzic added: “Philippe Coutinho made it very clear to us during the Barcelona negotiations that he really wanted to change to FC Bayern.
“He is a world-class player with very strong abilities that can be used variably on offence.
“The squad of Bayern now wins even more quality. Philippe Coutinho will help us achieve our ambitious goals this season.”
The Samba star is expected to go straight into the squad for Saturday’s trip to Schalke.
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