Philippe Coutinho has been granted a
Portuguese citizenship, sources have confirmed
to ESPN FC, easing Barcelona's concerns over the
number of foreign players in their squad.


Each La Liga club is allowed five non-EU players
but only three are permitted in each matchday
squad and, with two days to go until the Spanish
Super Cup final against Sevilla, Barca risked
starting the season with five.


All three of their new signings -- Arthur Melo,
Malcom and Arturo Vidal -- count as non-EU
players, as does Marlon Santos, who is expected
to leave the club on loan this month.


Coutinho, a January arrival from Liverpool, was
also in that bracket, but he has successfully
been granted Portuguese documentation through
his wife, Aine.


As the two have been married for longer than
two years, Coutinho fulfils the criteria to allow
him to play in the Spanish league as a citizen of
Portugal, rather than Brazil.


The documentation has come through just in
time and means Valverde won't be forced to
leave one of Coutinho, Arthur, Malcom or Vidal
out of Sunday's Super Cup clash against Sevilla
in Morocco.


Barca took a similar route with Luis Suarez,
helping the Uruguayan apply for Italian
citizenship through his partner, Sofia Balbi.
Coutinho returned to Barca training earlier this
week after exiting the World Cup with Brazil at
the quarterfinal stage.


After joining the club from Liverpool for €160
million earlier this year, this will be his first full
season at Camp Nou.


On Thursday, the club announced that the Brazil
international has traded in the No.14 shirt for
the No.7, which had previously been worn by
Arda Turan, who is currently on loan at Istanbul
Basaksehir.