FC Barcelona Await Qatar Cash Windfall Through Ex-Player: Reports

FC Barcelona are hopeful of receiving a cash injection through the potential sale of one of their ex-players according to Mundo Deportivo.

Barca broke their club transfer record in 2018 when they spent a good chunk of the Neymar money from PSG on his close friend Philippe Coutinho.

Coutinho was arguably the best player in the Premier
PINC
League at the time, meaning Barca had to agree to pay his club Liverpool a premium fee capable of rising to £142 million ($156 million).

Despite showing moments of class, however, Coutinho never took to life in Catalonia and enjoyed his greatest moments of success in terms of silverware on loan at Bayern Munich.

Adding insult to injury to Barca in a moment that highlighted the mismanagement of ex-president Josep Bartomeu, he infamously came on as a substitute against the Blaugrana for the Bavarians in their heaviest ever defeat in Europe.

Immediately scoring two goals and providing an assist during the 8-2 Champions League quarter final drubbing in Lisbon, before Bayern then went on to lift the big-eared crown and seal the treble, Coutinho returned to Barca that year in 2020.

Once more, however, he struggled to make an impact under head coach Ronald Koeman and his successor Xavi Hernandez.

Before the close of the 2021-2022 season, Aston Villa decided to make the Rio native’s temporary loan spell permanent and reportedly paid Barca £17 million ($21.6 million) for his services.

Fast forward to the present, and the Birmingham outfit would like to offload Coutinho if possible.

There has been previous interest from the Saudi Pro League, yet as reported by transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano, a number of clubs from Qatar are also insistent on buying the 31-year-old.

Barca will hope that one of them comes forward with a solid and reasonable proposal for Coutinho because they struck a deal to receive 50% of any future sale when agreeing to let him join Villa.

If the final transfer fee were £20 million ($25.5 million) for example, Barca can pocket half of that amount which would be much-welcomed during a period when they are trying to navigate Financial Fair Play limits.

With such cash available, loan deals that bring Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix to the Montjuic Stadium might be given the green light.