Bayern include important clause after agreeing loan move for Coutinho

Bayern Munich are expected to tie up a move for Philippe Coutinho this weekend after agreeing a deal “in principle” with Barcelona to sign the Brazilian on a season-long loan deal.

The Bundesliga champions announced following their 2-2 draw with Hertha Berlin on Friday night that they had reached an agreement with the former Liverpool star, which, critically also secures them an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season.

Reports suggest Bayern are understood to be paying around €30m for the season-long loan, and will then pay Barcelona a further €70m in summer 2020 to sign him permanently.

The Brazilian is due in Munich in the coming days to finalise the deal and undergo a medical.

Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool were all mentioned as potential suitors for the player this summer.

Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic, however, travelled to Barcelona this week to seal the deal, something we reported on Monday.

“I can confirm that I was in Barcelona with Hasan on Wednesday and that we reached an agreement with both the club and the player,” Rummenigge said on the club website. “We have been watching Coutinho for a while.”

Salihamidzic added: “I would also like to thank Barcelona. Of course, a few details are still to be sorted out, but we are very happy that we will bring this player to Bayern.”

Coutinho’s future has been the subject of intense speculation for the whole summer, given the arrival at the Nou Camp of Antoine Griezmann and their interest in bringing Neymar back to the club.

The Brazilian, who has struggled to reproduce the sort of form he showed for Liverpool since leaving the Reds in a £142million deal in January 2018, was not in the Barcelona squad for their defeat to Athletic Bilbao on Friday.

Bayern coach Niko Kovac, who saw his side drop two points at home in their opening game of the Bundesliga season, also welcomed the impending arrival of Coutinho.

“I am of the opinion that not only FC Bayern, but the entire Bundesliga and all of Germany can look forward to welcoming such a top player here in this league,” he said.

Bayern also announced the “imminent signing” of 20-year-old French midfielder Mickael Cuisance from Borussia Monchengladbach.