Philippe Coutinho offered to Chelsea as Barcelona look to offload £142m flop

Chelsea have been offered the chance to sign Philippe Coutinho this summer by Barcelona.

The Brazilian playmaker looks set to depart the Nou Camp in the off-season on his return from a difficult loan spell at Bayern Munich.

Coutinho’s stock has fallen dramatically since his £142million switch from Liverpool in 2018, and could now relish the opportunity to return to England to revive his career.

Liverpool remain uninterested in re-signing the player, who forced through his dream move to Barca two years ago.

Chelsea were interested in signing the midfielder at the time, but are now only keen on taking him to Stamford Bridge on loan.

Bayern had the option to buy Coutinho at the end of his loan spell but are choosing not to make his deal permanent despite a decent return from the 27-year-old this season.

Speaking last month, Bayern chief Karl Heinz Rummenigge told Sport Bild : “Why is it [the transfer] not decisive? This is a difficult question. I think he played well in some games while in others he gave the impression of being a little inhibited.”

In 32 appearances for the Bundesliga giants Coutinho has netted nine times and provided eight assists, though has struggled to hold down a regular starting berth.

Arsenal, Tottenham and Man Utd have also been linked with a move for his services, though they would have to stump up a huge fee to prise him from Barca.

Chelsea have already committed to a £37m outlay on Ajax star Hakim Ziyech, and are also weighing up other big-money targets, including Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho.

United have the financial muscle to complete a deal for Coutinho, though the club’s former defender Rio Ferdinand has urged them not to.

“At Liverpool he was an amazing player, but since he left Liverpool he hasn’t really done it yet,” Ferdinand said in an Instagram Q&A on Monday. “He struggled at Barcelona, struggled to fit in there and then he hasn’t done amazingly well at Bayern.

“I think he is a great player, a huge talent, I think he needs saving. Coming into the Premier League to the right team would be a saviour for him, he needs that.

“I would have said Man United before Bruno Fernandes turned up, but not now.”