Stories of Barcelona trying to get rid off Antoine Griezmann and Philippe Coutinho to accumulate the funds for keeping Lionel Messi at the club are far from true, according to an outlet close to the Catalan giants, Mundo Deportivo.Well, unless someone sends ‘irresistible’ offers for the pair to Nou Camp – then they might leave. If no incredible amounts are proposed to Barcelona – they will stay. And coach Ronald Koeman seems optimistic about his plans for the duo. Especially Griezmann.Suggestions that either the Brazilian playmaker or the French forward – or both – would be offloaded in order to finance Messi’s contract renewal filled sports media front pages.##EDITORS_CHOICE##The Barcelona-based newspaper report that the club have not put either Coutinho or Griezmann on the transfer list and the Dutch manager intends to keep both in his squad for the upcoming season.Only if an irresistible offer arrives before the window closes, the Nou Camp club would consider selling them, same outlet reports. Such scenario is unlikely since almost all the capable suitors went through a hard period, financially, due to coronavirus pandemic.Manchester City, Chelsea and Juventus have been linked with Griezmann, who has a contract with Barcelona through until 2024, but no formal offers have been received.There had been speculations the France striker could return to Atletico Madrid in a swap deal for midfielder Saul Niguez but it all seems far from realization.Mkhitaryan holds no grudge over Mourinho – what happened in Manchester, stayed in ManchesterGriezmann’s attitude and application during pre-season pleased Koeman – in last week’s 3-1 friendly win over Girona, Frenchman gave up a penalty so Memphis Depay could score on his debut for the club.Meanwhile, after suffering a meniscus injury in his left knee last December that forced him to miss the second half of the season, Coutinho is working his way back to full fitness.Koeman believes the 29-year-old Brazilian can rediscover the form that made him one of the most expensive players in world football when Barcelona signed him from Liverpool in 2018.If he manages to recover, Coutinho could substantially update Barcelona’s attacking midfield portion of the squad.
