Bayern Munich’s interest in Christian Eriksen could see them shelve plans to sign Philippe Coutinho in the summer, according to Spanish outlet AS.
AS, via Sky Sports, reports that Bayern are considering the Tottenham Hotspur playmaker as a cheaper alternative to Coutinho, for whom there is a £105m purchase option in the loan deal which took him from Barcelona to Germany in the last transfer window.
Spurs have been unable to tie Eriksen down to a new long-term contract nor sell him on at his peak value, meaning that they face losing him for peanuts in January, or for nothing at the end of the season.
Mauricio Pochettino tried to sign Coutinho, with whom he worked at Espanyol in the Brazilian’s formative years, himself in the summer but Sky Sports claim the former Liverpool man turned down a move to Spurs.
AS adds that the 27-year-old has probably played his last game for Barcelona so he will be looking for another new club if he does not end up going to Bavaria on a permanent basis.
I’m not deluded enough to think that Daniel Levy may pay the £105m asking price for Coutinho, but Barca’s willingness to get rid does leave the door open for a cut-price deal or, more likely, another loan.