Report: Coutinho Loan Fee to Bayern Munich Revealed as Brazil Star Arrives in Germany
Philippe Coutinho has been pictured in southern Germany ahead of his impending move to Bayern Munich, while the actual fee the club will pay for the Barcelona forward has also been revealed.
The Brazilian has been heavily linked with a move away from Barcelona this summer, with La Blaugrana desperate to rid themselves of the forward, who has failed miserably to justify his hefty price tag since moving to Catalonia from Liverpool for a fee that could have potentially risen to £142m.
With a whole host of clubs rejecting the chance to sign the 27-year-old this window, previously unlinked Bayern have swooped in to sign the Barcelona forward on an initial loan deal as they eyed replacements for the departed Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben.
Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić has also confirmed the deal, stating as quoted by Calciomercato: "I can confirm that Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and I have been in Barcelona and we have reached an agreement with the club, the player and the agent. We are very happy to bring this player to Bayern."
Images have also surfaced online of Coutinho arriving in Bavaria ahead of putting pen-to-paper on the one-year loan deal with an option to buy. However, Bild have dismissed suggestions that the loan fee would be as high as €20m, instead claiming it will be €8.5m.
Where the confusion may have arisen is over the player's current salary, a staggering €13m per year. The German publication have revealed that Bayern will pay the entirety of his wages, however, the loan fee will stand at the aforementioned figure.
While the loan fee is less than previously touted, the option to purchase Coutinho will remain at €120m, an option Die Roten may or may not choose to take next summer.
If Bayern do opt to make Coutinho's move permanent next season, he will become the most expensive player in Bundesliga history, surpassing the €100m-mark for the first time in the competition's existence.
It is becoming a case of two wingers out, two wingers in at the Allianz Arena after Bayern confirmed the signing of Ivan Perisic from Inter on a similar loan deal with an option to buy.
