Newcastle United keen on landing ex-Liverpool playmaker?

Newcastle United are reportedly interested in signing former Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho in January.

The Brazil international was a huge fan favourite among Reds fans before he moved to Barcelona in January 2018.

The 29-year-old has since struggled to establish himself. He has made just 96 appearances on either side of a loan stint with Bayern Munich.

According to Sport, the Catalan giants will look to offload Coutinho in January as they aim to reduce their excessive wage bill.

The club are currently allowed to spend only €25m on signings by La Liga. They must reduce their wage bill by a staggering €300m.

A number of players could be offloaded in January. The Magpies are aiming to capitalise on the situation with a move for Coutinho.

The Tyneside outfit were recently bought by a Saudi-led consortium, and there will be significant spending hereafter.

The club are eyeing several elite players, and Coutinho is one of the top names on their radar for the winter transfer window.