Barcelona offer Philippe Coutinho to Manchester City in deal for forward | OneFootball

Barcelona’s pursuit of Manchester City forward is proving to be tricky with each passing day.

While the player is understood to be keen on making the switch and has even reached a total agreement with the Catalans, a deal is yet to be agreed upon between the two clubs. And, given the quality and the potential that the 21-year-old possesses, Manchester City are unwilling to give in easily.

The Premier League champions signed Torres from Valencia last year for a fee of around £20 million. While he was not a prolific contributor in his debut season, the versatile forward managed to make a solid impression and played his part in City’s Premier League success and finals run in the Champions League.

Torres has also impressed heavily for the Spanish national team over the past year, which put him on the radars of Barcelona. Xavi Hernandez is keen on adding more quality options to his attacking unit and sees the ex-Valencia as a good fit because of his versatility and tactical flexibility.

But with finances in a sorry state, Barcelona cannot afford to sign Torres in a cash-only deal. As a result, The Times is now reporting that the Blaugrana are trying to bring down the price of the Spanish international by offering various fringe players as part of a deal to Manchester City.

It is further claimed that Philippe Coutinho, who is one among several players to be put on the transfer list ahead of the January window, was offered to the Premier League heavyweights. However, they have been quick to shoot down any such proposals.

The report adds that Manchester City would entertain only cash bids for Torres and want a sum in excess of double the £20 million fees that they shelled out to Valencia to sign him in 2020. That, however, will be difficult for Barcelona to meet, making their pursuit of the Spanish international complicated.