Philippe Coutinho is yet to return back to Barcelona for preseason training as he was given an extended break due to his participation at the just concluded World Cup.

Coutinho remains Barcelona’s biggest transfer in their history, and his arrival meant he occupied one slot for non-EU players.

According regulations, teams in Spain’s top flight football are only allowed three players who are not members of the European Union to be registered with the Spanish FA.

Going into the 2018 summer transfer window, Barcelona had players like Yerry Mina, Paulinho and Coutinho all occupying the allowed three spots.

Messi has lived in Barcelona since he was 13 and is already a Spanish citizen, while Luis Suarez has European citizen from his wife, Sofia Balbi who has an Italian passport.

Some weeks ago, Coutinho’s agent Kia Joorabchian and met with Barcelona president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, and vice-president, Jordi Mestre, to discuss about Coutinho’s European status.

The Brazilian is eligible to get one through his wife, Anie, who has a Portuguese passport, and Spain’s legislation allows you to acquire the nationality of your partner if you have been married for over three years (Coutinho and Anie have been married for six years).

It was long agreed that Coutinho should begin the process and Mundo Deportivo has revealed that Coutinho has sent all his documentation in order to be removed from a non-EU player.

The midfielder is still awaiting his passport, but La Liga and the RFEF have already cleared him.

What this means to Barcelona

With Paulinho’s exit from Barcelona the club signed Arthur Henrique to take his position as a non-EU player.

And with Coutinho’s new citizenship, the Catalans can now signed one more player outside the EU zone for the first team.

The post Barcelona receives good news on Philippe Coutinho appeared first on SOCCERINFOMANIA.