Arsenal transfer news: Gunners to battle rivals Tottenham over Philippe Coutinho transfer

Barcelona playmaker Philippe Coutinho has been linked with a return to the Premier League as north London giants, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur remain keen on signing the Brazilian. Coutinho spent last season on loan at Bayern Munich and helped the German outfit to the treble of the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal Cup and Champions League before returning to the Camp Nou. Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool have categorically ruled out the possibility of signing Coutinho if he leaves Barcelona this summer, but Premier League rivals Arsenal and Tottenham are reportedly keen on a Philippe Coutinho transfer. 

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Arsenal transfer news: Philippe Coutinho to Arsenal on the cards? 

Although multiple reports have claimed that Philippe Coutinho will stay put at Barcelona, British journalist Kevin Palmer has linked Coutinho to Arsenal. Earlier this week, Coutinho's agent, Kia Joorabchian, revealed that his client was set to stay at Barcelona and play under Ronald Koeman for the upcoming season. However, Palmer feels that Coutinho will return to the Premier League soon, with Arsenal and Tottenham interested in signing the 28-year-old. 

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While speaking to Empire of the Kop, Palmer admitted that although Coutinho might prefer a return to the English top division, the midfielder's former club, Liverpool, have ruled out signing Coutinho before the transfer window shuts. "He wanted a return to Anfield, but Liverpool don't want him", he said. Palmer added that Arsenal and Tottenham are now closely monitoring Coutinho and could make a bid for the Barcelona man before the transfer window shuts.

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Football transfer news: Coutinho to Arsenal or Tottenham? North London rivals set for tussle

Reports claim that Arsenal have identified Philippe Coutinho as an ideal replacement for the out-of-favour Mesut Ozil. Mikel Arteta's side are eyeing a top 4 finish this season and Coutinho's arrival at the Emirates could bolster the Gunners' chances of playing Champions League football next season. However, it remains to be seen how Arsenal would fund a move for Coutinho after club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang signed a new £250,000-a-week deal. Arsenal signed Willian on a £220,000-per-week deal this summer and are still paying Mesut Ozil £350,000-a-week and signing Coutinho would only bloat their massive wage bill.

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On the other hand, Jose Mourinho's Tottenham are also interested in signing Coutinho this summer. Spurs began their Premier League campaign with a 1-0 defeat against Carlo Ancelotti's Everton and clearly lacked creativity in the final third. However, Spurs are reportedly looking to bring Coutinho on a loan deal as they cannot afford to pay Barcelona's asking price for the Brazilian. Coutinho joined Barcelona from Liverpool in January 2018 for a club-record fee of £142 million and the LaLiga giants will be hoping to recoup a large chunk of the cash they spent on signing the attacker.

Image Credits - Phil Coutinho, Mikel Arteta Instagram