Lionel Messi Not Training But Philippe Coutinho Joins Barcelona's Pre-season Camp

Philippe Coutinho trained with Barcelona for the first time since returning from his loan stint at Bayern Munich on Friday. (More Football News)

Bayern opted against activating a purchase option on Coutinho, who spent the 2019-20 season with the Bavarian giants after struggling to settle at Camp Nou following his reported €160million arrival in January 2018.

The Brazil international has consequently returned to Barca and began pre-season training with the team, despite being linked with a return to the Premier League at Chelsea or Arsenal.

Coutinho won the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League during his campaign with Bayern, scoring twice and assisting another goal in their 8-2 destruction of his parent club in Lisbon in August.

While he reported for Barca training under new boss Ronald Koeman, Lionel Messi is yet to return to duty as his future at Camp Nou remains up in the air.