Football NewsPhilippe Coutinho’s transfer option clause has now expired
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Coutinho joined Bayern Munich on a seasonal loan from La Liga holders Barcelona at the start of the 2019-20 campaign, but he struggled to gain a foothold in Munich.

Coutinho’purchase option has expired

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said the Bundesliga champions had not activated their purchase option for Philippe Coutinho, and the clause has now expired. Coutinho joined Bayern Munich on a seasonal loan from La Liga holders Barcelona at the start of the 2019-20 campaign, but he struggled to gain a foothold in Munich. The Brazil international arrived with an option to buy for €120 million (£107 million/$131 million). Still, Bayern chose not to carry out the deal, although Rummenigge did not close the door to Coutinho. “We plan our team for next season and see if he will still have a role to play with us or not”. Coutinho could not stand the hype since, in 2018, he swiped Liverpool for Barca in a blockbuster transfer.

The DFB wants to do a cap on wages for players

The 27-year-old has scored eight goals this season and set up another six goals in 22 Bundesliga matches for Bayern, which were disrupted by the coronavirus. It is reported that Bayern have an eye on Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz and Leroy Sane from Manchester City, Coutinho, does not stand at the top of the club list. But Liverpool’s ex-star agent Kia Joorabchian said this week that the future of the player has yet to be decided and such Chelsea and Manchester United have been linked. The president of the German Football Association (DFB) Fritz Keller recently called for a cap on wages for players and the publication of numbers to spark public debate about money in the Bundesliga. Rummenigge, however, is against this idea, since he believes that it would be unfair to the players and not benefit anyone.

He added: “It will only cause a jealous debate. It is well known that players earn a lot of money, but if we published it. We would have a strange discussion among the Bundesliga teams and in public. Who would benefit?” Mr. Keller called me in the morning on Tuesday, and we agreed that we would get together on time. Perhaps in the past, there were times when players did not behave exemplarily. But to question the whole profession as a whole is too short for me.”