Reports: Barcelona set for stunning €220m double swoop in January

What's the story?

Barcelona are all set to stun the footballing world with a massive transfer outlay on Antoine Griezmann and Philippe Coutinho this January itself, according to a report in Spanish news outlet, AS. However, the move is contingent on Barcelona moving a big earner off the wage bill, with Ivan Rakitic rumoured to join the likes of Arda Turan, Andre Gomes and Javier Mascherano on the departure list. Ernesto Valverde is keen on adding stardust to the squad, and the €220 million capture of both Liverpool's Coutinho and Griezmann from Atletico Madrid ought to satisfy the Barcelona boss.

In case you didn't know...

Antoine Griezmann joined Basque club Real Sociedad's youth system at the age of 14 in 2005, with the Frenchman impressing in a game against Paris St-Germain's youth team. He spent 4 years in the youth system, before making his first-team debut for his club in 2009, aged 18. Griezmann shone for 5 seasons at Sociedad, making 201 appearances for the club and scoring 52 goals. Thus, Atletico saw it fit to pay the Basque side a fee around Griezmann's release clause of €30 million to bring him to Madrid in 2014.

Philippe Coutinho came through the ranks at Vasco da Gama and was purchased by Inter Milan in 2008 for €4 million, despite being aged just 16. After a couple of seasons on loan in his native Brazil, Coutinho made his move to Europe, where he experienced a brief dip in form after a storming start. Liverpool bought the Brazilian for a cut-price deal in 2013, only parting with €10 million for his services.

The heart of the matter

The report in AS claims that Barcelona have all but tied up a €120 million deal for Coutinho in January, with Liverpool about to make the deal official once they sign their replacement. However, things are far more complicated with regards to €100 million Antoine Griezmann, as the club's forthcoming nature about that transfer almost saw them reported by the Rojiblancos to FIFA.

Barcelona's playing staff, on the other hand, have no such qualms, with Paulinho saying, "I make jokes that people are already looking for a house for him [Coutinho]. I try to give him the basic information, the most important for him and his family, because maybe the time he lived here was not enough to know the city. But he knows that Barcelona is a very good city, that offers everything for him and his family."

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Author's Take:

With Ousmane Dembele and Luis Suarez already at the club, signing the likes of Antoine Griezmann as well seems overkill. In the long term, however, Philippe Coutinho could come to replace Andres Iniesta - and thus might seem the more sensible option for Barcelona, despite his price tag.