Cash-strapped Barcelona face a race against the clock to sell attacker Philippe Coutinho.
The La Liga champions are desperate to balance the books after the coronavirus lockdown put the squeeze on their finances.
They are prepared to lower their asking price for Coutinho to 70million euros – less than half the fee they paid Liverpool for him two and a half years ago – so long as he leaves before July.
Time is against the Catalans, who are under pressure to cut their wage budget by the start of football’s new financial year.
A return to the Premier League is still on the cards, Barcelona-based Diario Sport reports.
Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are all reportedly interested in bringing Coutinho back to England, but they do not appear willing to work to Barcelona ’s tight deadline.
All three clubs would prefer to take the Brazilian out on loan next season – an option that is also said to suit Bayern Munich, who could be interested in extending his stay in Bavaria.
Barca are currently pushing for a permanent move – perhaps with a cheaper player going in the other direction – or a loan deal with a commitment to buy him the following year.
Coutinho has been sceptical in the past about a Premier League comeback, refusing a late approach from Spurs last summer.
His preference would be a switch back to Liverpool, but despite losing out on Timo Werner’s signature to Chelsea, Jurgen Klopp’s side are thought to have other transfer targets.
Coutinho has made 22 appearances for Bayern in all competitions so far this campaign and netted nine goals, having agreed to join the German champions in search of more game time.
His ended up as a bit-part player in the Ernesto Valverde’s Barca squad, nearly half of his 55 games coming from the bench.
