Bayern Munich confirm they won't activate Coutinho's release clause

Coutinho joined Bayern on a season-long loan deal from La Liga holders Barcelona at the start of the 2019-20 campaign but he has struggled to establish himself in Munich.

Munich: Bayern Munich will not activate a 120-million-euro ($130 million) option to buy on-loan Brazilian star Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona, the German champions' chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told a leading magazine.

Coutinho joined Bayern on a season-long loan deal from La Liga holders Barcelona at the start of the 2019-20 campaign but he has struggled to establish himself in Munich.

The option expired and "we haven't activated it," said Rummenigge.

Philippe Coutinho

"Now we're going to draw up squad planning internally (for next season) and we'll see if he still has a role to play with us or not." Coutinho joined Bayern last August but has failed to shine on a consistent basis.

He featured in 23 of 25 league games before the season was halted in March due to the coronavirus but started just 15 times.

Coutinho, who has eight goals and six assists to his name, sat out last weekend's resumption of the season having undergone ankle surgery in April.

Philippe Coutinho

Rummenigge also said there will be a tightening of belts in the transfer market once the crisis had passed.

So much so that paying a club record fee for a player would not be an option.

As Bayern reportedly eye Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz and Manchester City's Leroy Sane, Coutinho does not appear to be at the top of the club's list.

But the ex-Liverpool star’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, said this week that the player’s future is yet to be decided and the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United have been linked.