Newcastle set sights on £327,000-a-week star with ‘magical powers’ – report

Sat 9 October 2021 9:45, UK

Ne﷽wcastle United have reportedly identified♚ Philippe Coutinho as their potential first big-money signing, according to .

The Maไgpies are under new ownership, as a Saudi-le🐭d consortium took over the club from Mike Ashley on Thursday.

Co-owner Amanda Staveley the consortium has “the same ambitions as Manchester City and PSG” in terms of success on the ꦚpitch.

While she stressed that turning Newcastle into a major footb🦩alling power would take time, a marquee signing would be a great statement of intent.

And Cout꧂i🍃nho would certainly be a high-profile arrival were he to join the Magpies.

Spanish outlet cl⛎aims that Coutinho’s representatives ♉held talks with Newcastle’s new owners earlier this year.

The opportunity for a move w✱as not available at the timeꦓ, but now the takeover has happened, the 29-year-old is apparently back on their radar.

The report also ܫclaims Coutinho would be interested in a move to the North East and a return ꦦto the Premier League.

Coutinho left Liverpool four years ago to join Barcelona in a 🔯£142million deal, on a 20m Euro per year (around £327,000-a-week) salary.

However, the🐠 Brazilian has struggled at Camp Nou and is currently a rotation player under Ronald Koeman.

In 2019-20, Coutinho joined Bayern Munich on loan𝔍 and 🌃the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League.

He even scored a brace ag💝ainst his parent club en route to a 8-2 win iܫn the quarter-final second leg that season.

Barca tried to sell him in the summer, asking for 50m💝 Euro (around £42.5million).

Newcastle to land “phenomenal” playmaker?

Roberto Firmino, who played alongside Coutinho at Liverpool between 2015 and 2018, hailed his fellow Brazilian after a 5-0 win over 𓃲Bolivia in 2020.

“He’s phenomenal,” the Anfield ace told .

“You simply can’tꩵ say that he’s not a magician. He has magical po꧒wers.

“He produces plays that don’t exist♑, that you couldn’t make up.

“You always have to watch replays of his💟 plays to understand wha▨t he’s done. He’s an unbelievable player.

“It was a pleasure to play with him at Liverpo🅰ol, and it’s a pleasure to play with him for the Selecao.

“I’m a hugeಞ fan of his. He’ꦜs one of the very best players in the world.”