Philippe Coutinho has finally been told he can leave Barcelona on loan and is looking for a return to the Premier League before Thursday’s deadline.

Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are the clubs being most strongly linked with a move for Coutinho although according to sources “no concrete offer” has yet been made for the 27-year-old Brazilian.

There have been a number of inquiries with Arsenal also believed to be monitoring developments even if their priorities – mainly a central defender - lie elsewhere. Liverpool are not understood to be expected to make a bid for their former player who has also, previously, interested Paris Saint-Germain who could still come into the bidding.

United are already pursuing an audacious late move for Spurs’ play-maker Christian Eriksen but may move for Coutinho if they cannot seal that deal before 5pm on Thursday.

Coutinho moved to Barcelona from Liverpool for £142million in January 2018 – the highest ever fee received by an English club – and until recently his representatives had been told that his future would remain at the Nou Camp. However that appears to have changed in recent days with the feeling now shared by Coutinho that it may be in his best interests to move on and, probably, return to England where he enjoyed such success.