"It would take a lot of money" - Transfer expert sends West Ham big warning over 65-cap target

Transfer insider Dean Jones thinks West Ham would need to be prepared to spend a significant amount of money if they want to sign Philippe Coutinho this summer.

Coutinho is currently on loan at Aston Villa, and has made a bright start to his time in the Midlands.

The 65-cap international returned to the Premier League last month, and made an instant impact by scoring on his debut for Steven Gerrard’s men against Manchester United.

He followed that up by scoring again and registering two assists in his next home game against Leeds to show that he still has plenty to offer at the highest level.

His performances have attracted attention from elsewhere, with reports in Spain claiming that West Ham are keen on signing Coutinho at the end of the season from his parent club, Barcelona.

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Jones has admitted that he is unsure where Coutinho will end up next season. However, if West Ham follow through on their interest in the 29-year-old, he expects them to have to pay Barcelona handsomely, despite the attacking midfielder only having just over a year left on his contract at the Nou Camp.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “I don’t know where I see Coutinho right now. I think West Ham will be mindful of what they’re signing in Coutinho, if they were to go down that path, because it would take a lot of money.”

After leaving Liverpool in 2018, Coutinho struggled to live up to expectations at Barcelona and Bayern Munich due to a combination of injuries and loss of form.

However, he has shown at Villa that he remains a classy performer, and it is no surprise to see a European-chasing club like West Ham taking an interest in him.

However, the Hammers may be better off focusing on