New Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman is looking to upset Arsenal by handing Philippe Coutinho a second chance at Camp Nou.
Koeman will attend Sunday’s UEFA Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain to watch Coutinho playing first hand.
The famous Dutchman has already started the rebuilding process at Camp Nou and is said to be keen to test the Brazilian before giving his final verdict.
Barcelona sporting management has made several high-profile mistakes over the past few years, which resulted in the club’s heartbreaking downfall.
Coutinho, who became the Blaugrana record signing after arriving from Liverpool in 2018, is one of many big-money acquisitions who have failed to live a mark in Catalonia.
The 28-year-old has spent 2019/20 season on loan at Bayern Munich but will return to the base after failing to convince reigning Bundesliga champions to trigger a buyout clause.
Despite struggling for regular first-team football, Coutinho gave a substantial contribution to Barcelona’s 8-2 dismantling in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Former Inter Milan starlet used his late came to put two balls past Marc-Andre ter Stegen and lay on a pinpoint cross to Robert Lewandowski.
Now, as per Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, Koeman wants him in his squad for the upcoming season and is ready to ward off Arsenal.
The Gunners are one of a host of clubs interested in taking Coutinho away from La Liga.
Mikel Arteta is desperate to land a top-class playmaker to restore his side to the Premier League elite and has identified the Brazil international as his prime suspect.
However, the news of Koeman’s willingness to re-establish Coutinho’s career at Barcelona comes as a transfer blow to Arsenal’s hopes of landing the ex-Liverpool talisman.
The player’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, has also recently admitted his client could be staying at Barca after all.
“It could be that Barcelona is the ultimate destination,” he said.
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