Bayern Munich have confirmed they will have the option to buy Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona at the end of his loan spell with the club.
The German champions announced they have reached an agreement with the La Liga club on Friday night, with the Brazilian set to head to the Allianz Arena on an initial season-long loan deal.
Bayern also confirmed that the deal gives the club the option to make the move permanent at the end of that period.
Coutinho, 27, is now expected to travel to Munich in the coming days to finalise the switch and undergo a medical with the club.
“I can confirm that Hasan [Salihamidzic] and I were in Barcelona last Wednesday and reached agreement with FC Barcelona and the player,” chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said after Bayern’s Bundesliga opener with Hertha BSC, which saw Niko Kovac’s side held to a 2-2 draw.
(Image: AFP/Getty Images)
“We’ve watched Coutinho for quite some time. The name doesn’t matter, only the quality.”
Sporting director Salihamidzic added: “I’d like to thank FC Barcelona.
“Obviously we still have to finalise a few details, but we’re delighted to be bringing this player to FC Bayern,”
(Image: REUTERS)
Coutinho joined Barcelona from Liverpool in a £142million deal in January 2018 after five years at Anfield.
Despite scoring 21 goals in 76 games for the Spanish giants and helping the club to back-to-back La Liga titles, the Brazil international has struggled to impress during his time at the Camp Nou.
He was left out of the club’s opening-day defeat against Athletic Bilbao on Friday night has been heavily linked with a move from the club since Antoine Griezmann’s arrival earlier in the summer.
Several reports indicated that Barcelona had been hoping to offer the playmaker to Paris Saint-Germain as part of a potential deal to re-sign Neymar.
However, he now looks set to join Bayern in a move which would see him become Kovac’s latest summer signing, joining Lucas Hernandez, Benjamin Pavard, Ivan Perisic and Jann-Fiete Arp.
The Bayern head coach said: “In my opinion, not only FC Bayern Munich, but also the entire Bundesliga and the whole of Germany can be delighted to be welcoming such a big-name player to our league.“
Bayern also confirmed that they are on the verge of completing a deal for Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Mickael Cuisance.
