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Philippe Coutinho: Agent demands Barcelona answers while Neymar transfer links emerge
PHILIPPE COUTINHO’S agent is demanding answers from Barcelona over the player being benched in recent games.
Philippe Coutinho has struggled to impress under manager Ernesto Valverde this season.
The Brazilian was a £142million signing from Liverpool last January - with Barca waiting six months to snap him up after failing to get a deal at the start of last season.
Coutinho was drafted in as a viable replacement for Neymar, who completed a hostile £200m transfer to PSG two summers ago.
But the playmaker has failed to convince as a replacement for the forward and has lost his place in the Barca first team.
Coutinho seems unable to dislodge Ousmane Dembele from the forward role he enjoys alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
And Arthur’s arrival in the summer to replace Andres Iniesta means Coutinho cannot even take up a more central position.
The player has started just one of Barcelona’s last six games but did get a run-out against Levante in the Copa del Rey last night.
And Spanish radio station Cadena COPE claim the ex-Liverpool man’s representatives are demanding answers from the club as to why he has dropped out of Ernesto Valverde’s first XI.
According to the report, Philippe Coutinho is not happy and the agents have ‘requested explanations’ from the club.
Valverde is said to be unimpressed with Coutinho, which has led to the player enjoying just 62 minutes of action over Barca’s last four league games.
There are reports Barcelona could sensationally sell Coutinho in order to raise funds for the re-signing of Neymar.
The London Evening Standard claim the Nou Camp giants are considering their options with the playmaker.
Neymar appears keen on a return to Spain after 18 months at PSG - and Real Madrid are also open to signing him.
But a decision on Coutinho may not come until the summer, when Barca have sorted out their managerial situation.
Valverde’s current contract expires at the end of this season and he has an option to extend the terms by one year.
But Barca want the boss to make his decision by February, so they can line up a new manager if Valverde does indeed want to quit.
Mauricio Pochettino has been mooted as a viable option, while Antonio Conte and Laurent Blanc are out of work.