Chelsea ‘to swoop for £85m Coutinho’ as Hazard replacement

Joe Williams
Philippe Coutinho Barcelona

Chelsea will pursue a deal for Barcelona playmaker Philippe Coutinho if Eden Hazard leaves the club in the summer, according to reports.

The Catalan giants are said to be willing to part company with the former Liverpool playmaker after his failure to reproduce the form that saw him become a star at Anfield, according to a recent report in the Daily Mirror.

Manchester United have been strongly linked with an attempt to bring in Coutinho back to England this summer, while a move to PSG has been mooted as the most likely option.

A report from Spanish outlet Sport on Friday also claims that Coutinho has eight matches to save his Barcelona career as he is set to get a run of minutes in the side due to Ousmane Dembele’s injury.

And now Diario Gol claims that Chelsea will look to sign Coutinho if Hazard, who is the subject of long-term interest from Real Madrid, leaves west London this summer.

The report adds that Barcelona are open to selling the Brazilian with the Spanish side willing to consider offers of €100million (£85million) plus.

Hazard, meanwhile, has been heavily linked over the last couple of seasons with a mega-money move to the Bernabeu.

And the Belgium international has continued to sparkle for Chelsea with 13 goals and 11 assists in 29 Premier League appearances this campaign.