Report: Arsenal and Everton still fancy Barcelona star but want injury update first

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Arsenal and Everton still want to sign Philippe Coutinho during the summer transfer window. Both clubs are awaiting news on a knee injury sustained by the former Liverpool man, however, according to Le10 Sport.

The Brazilian picked up the injury playing for Barcelona at the back end of last season. The original prognosis was three months but it’s stopping the Premier League duo from making bids.

Coutinho has fallen out of favour at Barcelona. During 2020/21 he made 14 appearances in all competitions, scoring three goals and claiming two assists.

He’s been at the Nou Camp since 2018 when he swapped Anfield for the Catalans giants. In 90 games for Barca, he’s scored 23 times and claimed 14 assists.

Coutinho is a man who knows all about the Premier League. In 201 outings for Liverpool, he fired 54 goals and registered 45 assists. Now, both Arsenal and Everton want to lure him back.

The Gunners are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements. They were often found wanting for creativity last season and Mikel Arteta needs a spark.

An eight place finish for Arsenal won’t do next season. As a result, the Spanish boss knows his time will need some tweaking.

Everton would be an interesting move. After spending so long at Liverpool, a transfer to Goodison Park might not be met with glee by their supporters.

With Marcel Brands choosing the transfers, however, they have an ambitious streak and will want the players to help them achieve their goals.

Barca are keen to sell Coutinho this summer. It was claimed in February that the club would slash his valuation to £45 million, alerting several clubs.

A massive stumbling block could be the player’s wages. He earns a staggering £380,000-a-week at Barca and neither club will afford that.

Coutinho to the Premier League: Arsenal can flex ambition

Given the overall package it will take to land Coutinho, Arsenal do have the edge. Everton are unlikely to spend huge amounts but the Gunners do have some clout.

Arteta needs at least one stellar recruit this summer. If Coutinho is over his knee problem, he could be the man to tick that box.

During 2019/20, the ex-Liverpool man enjoyed a solid loan at Bayern Munich. He scored 11 goals and claimed nine assists as the club romped to Champions League glory.

That indicates he can still play and, if Arteta can get his best form out of him, he’d be a class addition to the Arsenal ranks.