Barcelona preparing to spend lot of money

Advertisement

Mundo Deportivo reports that Barcelona are set to go on a transfer ‘offensive,’ with Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho the prime target.

The Blaugrana have enjoyed a successful pre-season under new Coach Ernesto Valverde and ended their tour of the United States with a 3-2 win over arch rivals Real Madrid on Saturday.

Now, they are set to turn their attention to new signings as they seek to wrestle back both the La Liga and Champions League crowns from the Bernabeu.

Top of the list, claim the Spanish daily, is Brazilian star Coutinho. The 25-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to the Camp Nou in recent weeks and is said to have already agreed personal terms with the Blaugrana.

A major stumbling block in any deal could be Liverpool’s asking price for their prized asset. Coutinho is contracted to the Reds until 2022 with no release clause, meaning the Anfield club should be able to demand an astronomical fee for the playmaker.

Advertisement

Barca’s other targets are reported to be Borussia Dortmund’s Ousmane Dembele and Monaco’s teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe.

However, MD believes that the Blaugrana’s ability to sign the French duo will depend heavily on whether Paris Saint-Germain pay the entirety of the €222 release clause to sign Neymar.

In any case, Valverde is said to want to have his squad for the forthcoming campaign finalised by the time Barca take on Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup first-leg on August 13.

Advertisement