Everton join Leicester City in Phillipe Coutinho race

Everton have become the latest club to join Leicester City in the race for Phillipe Coutinho, according to Football Insider.

Leicester are among the leading contenders for the Brazilian playmaker; however, they face competition with Manchester United and Chelsea.

And now, the Toffees are in the mix as well, with Barcelona willing to sell the player for £80 million.

It is substantially lesser than the £142 million that they paid for him two seasons ago and no way near his reported £300 million buyout clause. Goes a long way in demonstrating as to how badly do they need to get rid of him.

He is currently on loan at Bayern Munich, where he has done reasonably well. In 32 appearances for the reigning champions, he has nine goals and eight assists in all competitions.

And that has reignited the belief that he still has it in him and can rediscover the form that led to his record move from Liverpool to Barca in the first place.

Leicester obviously need a versatile player like him who can play out wide as well as in the middle, but he is too expensive and a risk nonetheless.

If it does not work out well, the Foxes will have to take a loss like Barcelona to move on, which they cannot afford, simply because they are not as rich as the Spanish giants.

Leicester are better off signing someone younger and less expensive, a strategy they have been using to perfection since their promotion to the Premier League.