Arsenal should consider £35m Champions League winner if they miss out on Odegaard

It’s been a rollercoaster season so far for Arsenal.

Poor form in the first half of the campaign had the Gunners looking over their shoulders at a possible relegation fight but three defeats in their past 15 Premier League matches has them in with an outside chance of European qualification.

Mikel Arteta’s side are also in the last-eight of the Europa League where they will take on Slavia Prague.

One of the reasons for the Gunners’ upturn in form has been the arrival of Martin Odegaard on loan from Real Madrid.

The Norwegian has impressed in the midfield and even scored in the North London derby victory against Tottenham earlier this month.

However, with recent reports stating that the North London side have a difficult task in making the 22-year-old’s stay a permanent one, Arteta should consider turning his attention to a former Premier League star.

According to Spanish outlet, Sport (via Daily Express), it’s reported that ex-Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho is avilable for ‘as little as £35m’.

The Brazilian has had a disastrous time at the Camp Nou since his big-money switch in January 2018, playing just 12 La Liga matches this term.

Coutinho’s move to Barcelona simply hasn’t worked out.

Coutinho was also shipped out to Bayern Munich last season, where he played a part in helping the German club win the Champions League and a domestic double.

Despite failing to cut it with the Catalan giants, the 28-year-old has a proven record in the Premier League where he scored 41 times in 152 matches for Liverpool.

Every club in Europe would’ve taken Coutinho following his impressive stint at Anfield so, although he’s six years older than Odegaard, he would add real pedigree to Arsenal’s squad.

For an asking price claimed to be as low as £35m – nearly £100m less than the fee Barca paid just over three years ago – the Gunners would surely have to consider the South American as an alternative if they cannot do a deal with Real Madrid.