Barcelona have reportedly made Mesut Ozil their January alternative to Philippe Coutinho - and believe they can land the Arsenal star for seven times LESS than his Liverpool counterpart.

The Catalan giants continue to want Coutinho, for whom they had a number of offers rejected in the summer.

The Brazilian also handed in a transfer request in a bid to force Liverpool's hand and get his switch to Camp Nou.

However, the Reds stood firm with owner John W Henry intervening and insisting Coutinho would remain.

Barcelona continue to eye the Brazilian, seeing the 25-year-old as a long-term replacement for club captain Andres Iniesta, now 33.

(Image: Action Images via Reuters)

Yet with the Reds' still reticent to sell Coutinho unless they receive £133million (€150m), Barcelona are being forced to look for other options in January, with president Josep Maria Bartomeu keen to add to the squad from a position of strength - having seen Ernesto Valverde's men make a dominant start to the season.

"We are happy with the squad that we have but if things can be done to improve then they will be done, because we always aspire to more," he told Monday's Catalan Football Gala.

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Now, according to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have turned to Ozil, whose contract in north London expires next summer.

(Image: Stuart MacFarlane)

(Image: Stuart MacFarlane)

The German international's agent, Dr Erkut Sogut has already held talks with Pep Segura, the Catalans' general manager.

It is claimed that £17million (€20m) will be enough to take him back to La Liga, with Arsene Wenger himself ready to give the deal the green light, having failed to persuade the 29-year-old to remain with the Gunners.

Crucially, Ozil WOULD be eligible for the latter stages of the Champions League, having only played in UEFA's secondary competition with Arsenal.

Barcelona are keen to get business done early in the New Year, having been stung by the summer window, when they failed to land either Coutinho or the then-Plan B, Angel Di Maria.