Tottenham backed to sign Coutinho as Barcelona star 'would want' to play for Mourinho

Posted Friday, June 05, 2020 by Express.co.uk

Tottenham backed to sign Coutinho as Barcelona star 'would want' to play for Mourinho
Tottenham transfer news: Michael Brown says Philippe Coutinho would want to play for Jose Mourinho (Image: GETTY)

Tottenham are one of a number of clubs tracking Barcelona's out-of-favour star Philippe Coutinho.

Tottenham would be a "great fit" for Philippe Coutinho, according to former Spurs midfielder Michael Brown. Coutinho is linked with a host of top clubs across Europe, with Express Sport understanding Chelsea are leading the way for the Barcelona star's signature. However, both Tottenham and Arsenal are also rumoured to be interested in a loan move for the former Liverpool star.

Brown says the only possible sticking point over a move to Tottenham could be the fee and wages of Coutinho.

However, he reckons the Brazilian would fit in at Spurs and would thrive under manager Jose Mourinho.

"It just depends on what the total is – you can dress the deal up however you want regarding finances – for example, what are the wages?" Brown told Football Insider.

“There might be an £8million loan fee but half the wages – you can’t be fully sure what that deal might be – but would he be a Spurs-type player? I think we all know the answer to that.

“I think he would be a great fit, great excitement. It just depends on what way Mourinho wants to play.

“Would he want to play for Mourinho in the Spurs setup? I think he would.

"He’d like a return to the Premier League, the Premier League’s exciting, and it would be a magnificent signing.”

Coutinho's agent Kia Joorabchian stated last week the player was keen on a return to England.

“He has a desire to come back to the Premier League at some point,” Joorabchian told Sky Sports.

“It may not happen this year, it may happen this year, we don’t know. We really have not discussed anything for now.”

But European football expert Julien Laurens says there is no way Coutinho will end up at Arsenal.

"No chance, it's impossible," Laurens told ESPN FC.

"I know where it comes from, it comes from France, a newspaper with no credibility whatsoever.

"We could talk about it but there's no chance.

"It's not my one and the only thing that could make people doubt slightly is that Coutinho's agent is obviously Kia Joorabchian, who is very, very good friends and very close to Edu, the Arsenal sporting director, but that's where it stops.

"Arsenal cannot afford either a transfer fee, his wages, not even a loan, a paying loan or anything like this."