Philippe Coutinho will break Klaas-Jan Huntelaar’s ten-year record as La Liga’s most expensive January signing if he joins Barcelona
Brazilian is edging nearer and nearer — and should it happen in winter window, it would be costliest ever mid-season transfer
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PHILIPPE COUTINO will become the most expensive January signing of all-time if he joins Barcelona in this window.
At present, the record winter window deal in La Liga was set TEN years ago, when Real Madrid signed Klaas Jan-Huntelaar from Ajax for £24million in 2008.
Atletico Madrid paid Chelsea £67m, but his deal was only delayed until January because of their Fifa-imposed transfer ban and he joined in September.
So that technically doesn't count.
Virgil van Dijk is the current most expensive mid-season signing history after Liverpool paid Southampton a cool £75m for his services.
But that deal is thought to have been funded by the imminent transfer of Coutinho to Barcelona — which could cost up to £160m.
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The fact that Huntelaar's deal remains the costliest January transfer in La Liga history shows Spanish clubs' general reluctance to make big alterations to their squads mid-season.
The Dutchman joined Real Madrid at a time when the club were in transition and lasted just six months before moving onto AC Milan for around £16m.
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Barcelona don't usually do business in January Coutinho would become first mid-season signing since Ibrahim Afellay in 2011.
Edgar Davids, Juan Pablo Sorin, Maxi Lopez and Demetrio Albertini were among the only other January signings this millennium.