Manchester United are looking to sign players that would strengthen the team as they hope to challenge for the Premier League title next season. The club has been linked with several players and one of them will cost bitter rivals, Liverpool billions of naira and millions of pounds if he is signed.
If Manchester United signed Barcelona playmaker Philippe Coutinho it would cost fierce rivals Liverpool millions in lost transfer bonuses, according to reports.
The Daily Mirror claim that Coutinho is missing the Premier League after his £142m (67 Billion Naira) transfer to Spain in January 2018 and that he has been ‘in contact’ with a number of Manchester United players ‘over a potential £110million (52 billion Naira) switch to Old Trafford.’
Coutinho has failed to establish himself in Barcelona, being unable to find a suitable position in the starting line-up and being out performed by competition such as Ousmane Dembele, Arthur Melo and the Catalan club’s wealth of other talent. Not to mention Ajax starlet Frenkie De Jong, who will be joining the side in the summer.
As a result, ‘it appears Barcelona may be ready to cash in on Coutinho in the summer’ with United constantly getting linked with the Brazilian.
It’s hard to imagine Liverpool fans being happy about their old hero moving to United and they’ll be even less happy with the fact their club will lose out on millions if he leaves the Nou Camp.
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The Reds could lose out on a potential 8 billion Naira, (£17.6million) if Coutinho departs Barcelona, according to the Mirror.
Liverpool reportedly earn £4.2m (N 1.9 billion) for every 25 La Liga appearances Coutinho makes, so if the 26-year-old left in the summer, the club would miss out on £8.8m (N4 billion) of appearance bonuses and could lose out on a further £4.2m (N 1.9 billion) if he doesn’t play another seven La Liga games this season, taking his game tally up to 50.
The Merseyside outfit will almost certainly earn the £4.4m (N 2.1 billion) owed should Barcelona qualify for next season’s Champions League as the Catalans are currently top of the table.
They could also make another £4.4m (N 2.1 billion) if Barcelona win the Champions League, too, though if they fail to this season and Coutinho leaves then the clause will no longer be valid.
It’s important to stress that despite constant transfer rumours linking Coutinho with United, there is nothing official to suggest that the gossip has any merit – and it is highly unlikely he will arrive at Old Trafford this summer.
Elsewhere, it’s claimed that United are refusing to make David de Gea the highest paid player at the club. The Evening Standard report that United ‘are holding firm on their refusal’ to better the deal that current highest earner Alexis Sanchez is on.
The Spanish goalkeeper still has another year remaining on his current contract after United triggered a one-year extension, however, if the contract situation isn’t resolved his future could be in doubt.