Philippe Coutinho to reject Newcastle move in January
Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho is set to snub a move to Newcastle United in January, as he is keen on surviving at the Nou Camp until the end of this season, reports the Daily Mail.
The Magpies’ new Saudi owners have identified the Brazilian playmaker as a potential target, with Catalans also willing to get him off the books.
However, Coutinho has now told the Catalan giants he has no intentions of leaving in the winter transfer window in a bid to get more playing time under Xavi.
The former Liverpool has endured a nightmare spell at Camp Nou, failing to live up to the whopping sum of money Barca paid for him in 2018.
The Catalans, who are in a deep economic crisis, are ready to sell as many players as they could including Coutino, their highest-paid player.
Xavi is preparing for an overhaul at his former club and has identified players like Raheem Sterling and Karim Adeyemi as top targets.
However, without enough sales, it remains to be seen whether Barca can afford any new signing in the January transfer window.
Sevilla president rules out De Jong return
Luuk de Jong has so far endured a difficult spell at Barca since completing a loan move from Sevilla in the summer and the deal was facilitated by then-manager Ronald Koeman.
However, with Xavi at the helm, the Dutch striker faces an uncertain future at the Nou Camp.
It was reported earlier that Xavi doesn’t see De Jong in his plans and Barca could send him back to Sevilla in January.
Amid the speculations, Sevilla president Pepe Castro has now said that the club is not thinking about the return of the 31-year-old.
Castro said (h/t Barca Blaugranes): “At this time we are not contemplating the return of Luuk de Jong.”
