[Sports] Coutinho to wear Lionel Messi's No.10 jersey at Barcelona

Barcelona attacking midfielder, Philippe Coutinho, has been offered the No.10 jersey at the club vacated by Lionel Messi, Mundo Deportivo reports.

Messi wore the iconic number for 13 seasons after inheriting it from club legend, Ronaldinho.

The Argentine captain, however, left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain this summer after he was unable to sign a new contract at Camp Nou due to LaLiga's regulations.

Coutinho, meanwhile, has worn No.7 and No.14 since moving to Barcelona from Liverpool in January 2018 for £142million.

The Brazilian international remains heavily linked with a move away from Barcelona this summer, but he is now set for a make-or-break season during which he may put on the No.10 jersey.

Barcelona manager, Ronald Koeman, will regard Coutinho as one of his senior players this season after a lack of attractive offers from other clubs for his signature this summer.

Coutinho, 29, missed the vast majority of last season with a major knee injury but he has returned to fitness in time for the new campaign.

The playmaker, who played no part in Barcelona's 4-2 victory over Real Sociedad in their LaLiga opener last Sunday, is now weighing up taking the iconic number after he was offered it by the club's chiefs.