Barcelona News: Brazil star Phillipe Coutinho set to become Portuguese months before World Cup

Barcelona’s latest signing Phillipe Coutinho is contemplating adopting a new nationality in order to help his new team. The Brazilian, who was signed for a mammoth  £142 million from Liverpool earlier this January is one of three non EU players on Barcelona’s books.

According to La Liga rules, Barcelona have are not allowed to have any more non-EU players on their books – having filled their quota of three with the January signing. The Catalans, have, however, scouts all over South America looking to unearth the next Lionel Messi or Luis Suarez.

Coutinho, speaking recently to Barcelona-based newspaper Mundo Deportivo has now revealed that he will look to apply for a Portuguese passport to help the Catalans out of this fuss.

“Yes, I can get citizenship through my wife,” he said.

The former Liverpool man’s wife, Aine, is Portuguese, thus enabling Coutinhi to register himself as a Portuguese citizen after three years of marriage.

On the field, however, Coutinho won’t have to swap the Yellow of Brazil and will duly represent his nation at the World Cup later this year in Brazil.  

This was the same methodology adopted by Luis Suarez – who got himself an Italian passport shortly after joining the Catalans. Suarez is married to Sofia Balbi – an Italian and thus doesn’t occupy the non-EU spaces for Barcelona.

Paulinho and Yerry Mina are the two non-EU players alongside Coutinho in the current quota.

This move will help Barcelona pursue the signature of Brazilian midfielder Arthur in the summer. The Gremio man has already been pictured in a Barcelona shirt. According to claims by Mundo Deportivo, Arthur will join the Spanish giants the coming summer.