Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho has turned down a loan move to Tottenham, making a return to the Premier League unlikely before Thursday’s transfer window shuts.
Both Barcelona and the Brazilian would prefer a permanent deal but it is unlikely any Premier League side will match the £80m price tag.
Tottenham head coach Mauricio Pochettino phoned Coutinho in an effort to convince him to return to the Premier League, according to Sky Sports News.
But the 27-year-old, who enjoyed a successful six-month loan under Pochettino at Espanyol in 2012, will not be reunited with his old manager who is now at Spurs.
It is understood only few teams can match Barcelona’s valuation of the Brazil international, who they signed from Liverpool for £142m in the January window of 2018.
Philippe Coutinho has played 76 matches for Barcelona, scoring 21 goals, but has fallen down the pecking order at the Nou Camp.
However, Pique would prefer his teammate to remain at the club, Although he said the final decision rests in Coutinho’s hands.
“I want him (Coutinho) to stay, but at the end of the day it’s what he wants and I want him to be happy,” Pique said.
Meanwhile, Tottenham are also working hard to find an agreement on Paulo Dybala’s personal terms, according to recent reports.
Spurs agreed a £64.4m fee with Juventus for the Argentina international on Tuesday but they have yet to reach an agreement for the forward’s image rights from company Image Star.
