Barcelona are interested in signing Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and are willing to include Philippe Coutinho as part of the deal after the player fails to live up to expectation since joining Barca. His wage demands are reportedly hampering an exit, with clubs unwilling to match his demands.
Coutinho who played the best football of his career with Liverpool in England before sealing a mega-money move to Barcelona in 2018 for £106m has been struggling to make it into the team. The Gunners requested a potential loan for the Brazilian last summer but was turned down.
It remains unclear whether Arsenal would be open to the idea of selling their highest-earner at this stage after their opening loss to Brentford on Friday. The loss really tells Arsenal needs help in their squad to compete with the big teams.
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Arsenal were keen on signing another striker to their ranks this summer but will be dependent on the sale of Alexandre Lacazette, Now there could be scope to offload Aubameyang in place of Lacazette with a deal which involves Coutinho returning to the Premier League.
However, Joan Laporta’s on Monday made a stunning admission of the club’s debts by revealing the club are in £1.15billion debt with club wages making up 103 percent of the club’s total income.
“Our salaries represent 103 per cent of the club’s total income, that’s 20-25 per cent more than our competitors,” said Laporta.
“The first thing we had to do when we arrived was to ask for a loan of 80m euros because, otherwise, we could not pay the salaries. The previous regime was full of lies.
“Barcelona has a negative net worth of 451m euros – it is a terrible inheritance. What has been happening is very worrying.
“The situation is dramatic, but we have good news,” he continued. “Our strategic plan, and the experience we all have, gives us creditability, I am convinced that we will come through this.”
Players have been asked to reduce their wages in order to help the club get back on its feet. Some have done so, as club’s president revealed on Monday.
