Philippe Coutinho tells Lionel Messi that Real Madrid transfer will happen

Posted Saturday, February 24, 2018 by Express.co.uk

Philippe Coutinho tells Lionel Messi that Real Madrid transfer will happen
Barcelona star Philippe Coutinho has told Lionel Messi that Real Madrid will sign Harry Kane

PHILIPPE COUTINHO has reportedly told Lionel Messi that Barcelona can expect to come up against Harry Kane next season.

Kane forged a reputation as one of Europe’s top marksmen as he outscored goal machines Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo last year.

His exploits for Tottenham and England have seen him heavily linked with a mega-money move to Real Madrid.

Bernabeu president Florentino Perez is planning to overhaul the Spanish giants’ squad following a bitterly disappointing campaign.

And the latest reports suggest Coutinho has got wind of a deal for Kane being on the cards and passed the news on to Messi.

According to Spanish outlet Diario Gol, Coutinho has informed his Barcelona team-mate that Kane will move after the World Cup.

The transfer is apparently set to happen whether or not Real salvage their season by winning a third Champions League title in a row.

And Karim Benzema is said to be the man that Real are planning to axe as a direct result of landing Kane.

The French hitman has scored just six goals this term and has supposedly lost the backing of Zinedine Zidane.

Diario Gol claim Kane has agreed a £20.3m-a-year (€23m) contract with Real, as well as for a £890m (€1bn) release clause to be written into his deal.

Real now need agree a fee with Tottenham, having seen an initial offer of £154m (€175m) plus £22m (€25m) in variables knocked back.

Tottenham are thought to be holding out for a guaranteed £176m (€200m), with Perez expecting a deal to go through for £159m (€180m).

Real’s plan to buy Kane has got back to Barcelona, with Coutinho telling Messi that the 24-year-old will be lining up on the opposite side of the El Clasico divide next season.