Ligue 1 side Marseille are believed to be closing in on a deal to sign Flamengo midfielder Gerson in the coming days, but could be tempted to add another Brazilian star to their squad list.
According to Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, the club is considering splashing the cash on a high-profile signing and Coutinho fits the profile, with manager Jorge Sampaoli said to be a keen admirer of the former Liverpool star's talents.
Coutinho still has two years remaining on his Barca deal, which he signed following a club-record move from the Reds in 2018, and it is expected that he would demand a comparatively high salary at Marseille.
However, it is claimed that the French outfit, who will compete in next season's UEFA Europa League, are willing to foot the bill on a player of his stature as they hope to challenge Paris Saint-Germain and newly crowned champions Lille for the league title next season.
Coutinho endured a torrid 2020/21 season with the Blaugrana after being forced to miss the second half of the season following two knee surgeries, and is believed to be one of the players on the club's "discard" pile.
Ronald Koeman's side has been linked with a host of big names in recent weeks, including Manchester City's Raheem Sterling, and a deal to offload the Brazilian could go a long way towards financing a deal for the England star.
