Philippe Coutinho would count as two

Yesterday we told you in SPORT that Barcelona were allocating 75 million euros for transfers. To this number you have to add the money brought in for any players who are leaving.

Seeing the prices that top level players cost, Barcelona don’t have many darts to hit the target with this summer.

Coutinho is emerging as an increasingly likely signing. The Brazilian gets on perfectly with Neymar. We have seen them working in tandem for Brazil on the left side and knowing how to connect with his team-mates is already a positive. 

Plus in the dressing room thanks to Neymar he will have all doors open for him. But the most important thing is his versatility.

To bring Coutinho is to bring a player who will fix the problems in midfield. He can start from day one, he can control a game, play in attack and fit in for any absent members of the trident.

Coutinho, if he ends up at Barcelona, will cost a high price, most of the money the club has for transfers, but it is a dart that can be counted as a relatively safe one. 

That is why Barcelona shouldn’t turn this into a soap opera and move quickly before fictitious rumours emerge as options for him and raise his price.