Newcastle United have begun talks with Barcelona star Philippe Coutinho in the hopes of agreeing a summer move.

Coutinho is currently on loan at Bayern Munich, but they have confirmed they will let him return to the Catalan giants in the summer.

Mundo Deportivo claims Newcastle are the team that have the most concrete interest in Coutinho.

The 27-year-old excelled in the Premier League with Liverpool before going to Barcelona, where he struggled to recapture that level.

And if Rafa Benitez is Newcastle manager by the summer, Coutinho is ready to move there.

Other teams that have interest in the player include Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham.