Sky Sports journalist says Everton-linked £70m man in line for sale due to club’s ‘economic difficulties’

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A player reportedly sought after by Everton could be in line to be sold by his parent club due to “economic difficulties”, but there are two stumbling blocks for the Goodison Park outfit, according to Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio.

Spanish outlet Sport has claimed that the Toffees are willing to meet Barcelona’s demands for out-of-favour midfielder Philippe Coutinho, who cost the Camp Nou outfit £130million two years ago.

According to Bleacher Report, the Brazil playmaker, who used to play for Everton’s Merseyside rivals Liverpool, could be available for £70million.

Coutinho is undoubtedly a high-calibre player but is currently on a season-long loan at Bayern Munich, having struggled to impress at the Camp Nou since joining Barca from Liverpool in January 2018.

Bayern are not expected to make the Brazilian’s switch permanent this summer, according to The Mirror, which could leave the 27-year-old possibly looking for pastures new – which is where Everton could make their move.

“I know that Philippe Coutinho is one of the players that Barcelona would like to sell because the club are facing some economic difficulties,” Di Marzio told Sky Sports. “They have to sell players. It depends on the offers they will receive on Philippe. Chelsea wanted him two or three months ago, I do not know whether they want him again.

“I know that Carlo Ancelotti wants to improve Everton and to have a strong Everton in the future. Coutinho could be one of his targets, but I am not sure he would like to leave Barcelona for Everton now, having played for Liverpool. He would also probably like to stay in a team playing in the Champions League.”

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Coutinho is a player of the highest calibre who simply doesn’t appear to be the right fit for Barcelona, but he has proven quality at the highest level, including in the Premier League.

Admittedly, his reservations over joining his former club’s city rivals, not to mention the ambition to remain playing in the Champions League, could prove big stumbling blocks.

However, stranger things have happened in football and, given Everton are a club on the up with one of the best coaches in world football, it’s not an impossibility by any means.