Selling Philippe Coutinho in the January transfer window would be a brazen, stupid act of the highest order, even for the standards of Liverpool FC.
After a summer-long saga of the Catalan giants attempting to prize Liverpool’s Golden Boy away from the ground where he’s picked up repeated Golden Samba’s, the Reds stood firm and moved past the autumn transfer deadline with Coutinho in their ranks.
Since then he’s embarked on a run of form practically unprecedented on a personal level, securing the Reds a comfortable place in the top four at the turn of the year, with safe passage to the Champions League last 16 confirmed.
Why exactly Barcelona, reportedly looking to shake off any prospects of a potential transfer ban, are so desperate to see their latest superstar arrive this month, remains unclear.
The Catalans are well clear of Real Madrid in La Liga, where there is no need for Coutinho to come in and fire them to the title. As for the European stage, Coutinho has of course already starred for Liverpool this season, thus would be cup-tied for any other team.
However, the bigger question lies over why Liverpool would even contemplate selling the Brazilian this month.
As previously said, the Reds are sitting in a good position. If they end as they are in the table and make it to the Champions League last eight, you can throw in an FA Cup run and call it a good season.
Why threaten to derail that with the sale of a man who has become so key on L4?
Shaking off the “back injury” that saw him miss the opening games of the season, Coutinho would be easily hailed as Liverpool’s Player of the Season so far, were a man called Mohamed Salah not roaming around.
Scoring or assisting every 73 minutes in the league and Europe so far, Coutinho is set to easily put up his best ever figures – productivity wise – over the course of a season.
Things are going well for him and Liverpool, who are demonstrating growth off the pitch as well as on it by holding down Coutinho in the summer, in-tandem with the signings of Salah and Naby Keita. Virgil Van Dijk was the next man ticked off the list, Liverpool should be looking to partner to the two, not profit from one – yet.
There are legitimate reasons to wave Coutinho off to Barcelona with a big cheque coming the other way, but not in January.
In the summer, Liverpool can build a better team with the ‘Coutinho money’ plus other cash that’s been kept in reserve for the window ahead of 2018-19.
A goalkeeper, another centre-back, plus the Coutinho replacement are all attainable for the money Barcelona could pay. Put some more cash aside for another attacker plus a Naby Keita partner, and the Reds are truly in business.
Attempting to negotiate all of that now though, would be near impossible. Add in the settling in period you look to give new players, and whoever Liverpool could draft in would offer no obvious benefit over the next six months compared to keeping Coutinho.
And what a big six months it is!
Liverpool are doing well so far, but a drop-off in form could see them drop out of the top four and put a huge dent in progress under Klopp. Champions League football year after year is a demand, not a wish.
Things have the potential to go the other way too. Manchester City are far and away the best side in England right now, but a second-placed finish in the Premier League is attainable. As far as the Champions League goes, anything is possible. Beat Porto, get a favourable last eight tie, Liverpool could be a couple of games away from the final before they know it.
All of this to be positive about, at a time of relative popularity for owners, FSG, after the Van Dijk deal was done.
There have been repeated questions over the commitment of the owners in terms of making Liverpool a success on the pitch, questions that they have seemed to be answering of late.
Letting Coutinho go this month would throw all that, and more, into disarray.
I agree 😉
I think that “Nike”…, deportivo mundo, don balon, mr balague too are making everyone believe that phil coutinho is on his way to the nou camp, wasn’t it reported that Lionel messi didn’t want him there..add to that, champions league(if he leaves he is cup tied), plus this story only seems to come out during the windows…some people, newspapers and sportswear companies need to learn some respect…YNWA
Where is the “plus other cash that’s been kept in reserve for the window ahead of 2018-19.”
The owners have a record of spending with what cash they can bring in from transfers and around £30 million (or one foot of a top quality midfielder) every year. In all probability, and I hope I am wrong, they will be currently having cold sweats worrying about Coutinho getting injured before they can use him to fund Keita and Van Dyke. How many times does this have to happen before the penny drops with some Liverpool fans.
The counter argument is that Coutinho wants to go so they have no choice but to sell. I say if you are a top quality footballer you will not stay anywhere where your chances of winning something are very slim.
One step forward two steps bacc
Barcalona’s behaviour is appalling & should be dealt with by both FIFA & UEFA. I hope Fsg take a firm stance & refuse to do any business with them & for all other clubs to show support. La Liga is on a severe downward spiral with ageing superstars who’ve got less than a season left In them.If Couts wants to leave sell him to PSG in return for Draxler.
Am certain that we are not selling coutinho for now… If klopp would have is way he would keep him forever and I strongly believe why he choose to leave is because no silverware coming from Liverpool .
Everyone is thinking about all the arguments EXCEPT maybe P.C. has his mind fixed and will do nothing other than go to Spain. If thats the case what do LFC and Jurgen do? Send PC to exile or demand a huge fee? Yes everything in comments makes sense but what if PC wont budge? What do you do then?
Liverpoolfc have to take Barcelona to EUFA for bullying.
Coutinho going nowhere. Please do not believe the rubbish you read online. These people go about cynically spreading anything that easily catches attention just to make momey
Coutinho going nowhere. Please do not believe the rubbish you read online. FSG has never been more commited than we are seeing now. These people go about cynically spreading anything that easily catches attention just to make momey
I recall a certain M.O. leaving and then Liverpool promptly went out to win the European Cup; so P.C. to think carefully.
The only way to disallow P.C is to hike a price tag on him.We can win trophies if we keep on holding our key players.Players should work extra hard in order to win trophies where they are rather than admiring where others have already built.They should not go for the name of the club due to its popularity but for work.
OMG you’re so right. FSG out. All this spending a record fee on a defender is just to cover up their continued use of LFC as a teller machine. You’re so wise to see through the ruse. What should we so next?
Barcelona are a shrewed bunch. Playing one the mind of a South American as being (along with Real Madrid) the height of most to all of their exports footballing lives. Phil being no different. Add to that a greedy agent and you got them moving like James Brown on a stage.
Funny thing is in my humble opinion Phil isn’t too smart. Leaving a club where you are the king amongst very strong and young players (most his age and younger) with the club making serious moves to improve to join an aging squad of players who for the most part will resent you for what they have accomplished and your price tag and pay when you have done nothing for the club as of yet (ala Dembele). If reports are correct most of Barça’s squad isn’t in favour of the move. Suarez doesn’t want Grieseman there because he is his replacement. Said he will leave if they sign him. Messi wants Suarez to stay so is on his side with that. That along with the fact that Phil is a great player is driving Barça
Last things I am going to say about Phil not being smart about this is Barcelona are telling him that they won’t return for him. Laughable because the told him that last window. They also said that Liverpool have that last day to cave to their demands or they are not doing business with us. Pure Bull shite. As long as Phil plays for us they will be after him. They just don’t want to pay full price for him. Which to me is in excess of £160mil. If they really want him then show it. Liverpool should adopt their mantra during the Neymar saga EVRRY SINGLE PENNY UP FRONT!!!!! He is entering the strongest part of his playing life. @ Inter he couldn’t even get a game. Liverpool made him and should he leave be compensated in the highest order.
Barca will argue that he isn’t worth that (something which should hit a nerve to him but won’t) Fact is to them no maybe not but to us he’s worth that and more so don’t budge L. F. C. YNWA!!! ?$#@%! Barcelona
FSG should not sell PC at all, period. Yes financially it would hurt as but we should send a clear message to those Spanish b*****d that their dirty games would not work and to the players that a contract is a committment. What if those b******s come back next for Salah or Firmino with their usual bags of dirty tricks? Are we going to cave in again? When would it end? If PC down tools send him to the reserves until he buck up.
FSG should report this to FIFA for a start.
Red Red Red – I never said FSG are using LFC as teller machine. In all probability they havent got the cash to compete with the likes of City. I just pointed out that while we are pretty much spending only what we can get in from selling we will just continue to stay where we are. Every time we get a top quality player he wont stay long because he knows we are not real contenders. I have been a Liverpool fan all my life but am realistic enough to accept we wont be winning the league anytime soon.
Even for Coutinho himself, it does not make sense to move in January. While he is a definite for Brazil’s WC squad, he may yet face a fight to be in the starting XI. He can cement that spot in the first team by shining for Liverpool, where he is the main man. At Barcelona, he will be potentially third fiddle to Suarez and Messi, not to mention Dembele. I’m all for granting him his wish eventually in the summer, but January benefits no one at all.