Pep Guardiola Rejected Chance To Sign Philippe Coutinho

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It’s not a secret that Philippe Coutinho endured a tough season during the 2018-19 season with FC Barcelona. The talented playmaker was never able to settle at the Camp Nou and considering his performances were below the required standards, the club decided to part ways with him.

Coutinho ended joining Bayern Munich on loan last month, but he was previously offered to Manchester City where he would have been managed by Pep Guardiola. However, The Citizens reportedly rejected the chance to take the Brazil international on loan. Coutinho already had experience playing in England, as he previously starred for Liverpool before moving to Spain.

It’s unclear why Guardiola rejected the chance to sign Coutinho, although recent reports have indicated that the Spaniard believed he had that position covered already with players such as Riyad Mahrez, Bernardo Silva, Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane. Barcelona never made a formal offer due to Guardiola’s lack of interest in the Brazilian, who ended being one of the top players for Brazil during the 2019 Copa America.

In the end, Coutinho joined Bayern after the Bundesliga giants paid €8.5 million for a season-long loan deal, and they can sign him on a permanent basis for a €120m transfer fee next summer. But things could have been really different had Guardiola expressed interest in the Brazilian.