The surprise name of Leicester City have been cited as a potential landing spot for Philippe Coutinho next season, according to the Spanish media.
The Brazilian, 27, is currently on loan at Bayern Munich from parent club Barcelona, but the Bavarian giants appear unlikely to make the move permanent upon completion of his temporary spell in the Bundesliga.
The former Reds favourite – who recently admitted his career decision to ditch Anfield for the Camp Nou was a mistake – now faces an uncertain future.
Barcelona are understood to be open to a potential loss-incurring sale after Coutinho struggled to bring the form he showed in the Premier League to LaLiga on a consistent basis.
A host of the usual suspects have been linked with the move, with Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea all being name-checked by varying reports over the past few months.
However, the latest report from Spanish publication Sport, reveals that a shock switch to the King Power stadium could be on the cards, albeit in another loan capacity.
The outlet state that the Foxes have ‘shown their desire’ in bringing the Brazilian back to English shores, though they do admit the deal would be difficult to pull off even if in the guise of a loan deal.
The deal does have its merits, however, with Leicester appearing likely to secure Champions League football should the current season conclude after the coronavirus pandemic subsides.
The Foxes currently hold five, eight and 12 point leads over Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham respectively, and with Wolves and Sheffield Utd still in the mix, Leicester’s ability to offer Champions League football may be something their financially superior rivals can’t match.
The second advantage Leicester hold comes in the form of their manager, Brendan Rodgers, who brought Coutinho to Anfield in 2013 and revitalised his career after a difficult spell with Inter Milan in Serie A.
Despite the positives, the financial aspect of any such deal would be impossible to ignore and it appears unlikely that a loan switch to Leicester would be unlikely to occur without Barcelona subsidising a hefty chunk of his £240,000-per-week wages.
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