Barcelona line up £36m for Coutinho partner

As reported by the Daily Mail, Barcelona are prepared to put forward the £36 million required to trigger the midfielder's release clause.

Jean Michel Seri was a revelation last season for Ligue 1 side Nice and the Spanish giants believe he will be a great addition to the squad after Paulinho's arrival and as they refuse to give up on Coutinho.

The bid to sign Coutinho would in no case be affected by the signing of Seri, with Spanish publication 'Mundo Deportivo' stating: 'On the contrary, they are considered complementary players, since they are different players, and the intention of the club is to have both in the squad'.

Ahead of a busy campaign, Barcelona are hoping to close the signing as soon as possible.