Liverpool plot a blockbuster transfer for Barcelona stalwart
Liverpool won’t be done even after winning the Premier League this season and will turn to Barcelona to fortify their own roster.
Barcelona have failed in their attempts in signing Neymar not once, but twice. Ousmane Dembele has turned out to be a flop due to his persistent fitness worries, whereas Philippe Coutinho never really settled into the Camp Nou. As a matter of fact, there are plans to bring back Neymar in the summer but the club needs funds to do so.
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Ousmane Dembele is certainly going to be on the Catalans’ transfer list this summer, but there remain doubts whether any side will be willing to invest in a player who has a poor track record in terms of fitness. With that said, Dembele’s latest injury will see him ruled out until mid-August, so he won’t even be fully fit should he sign for someone else.
Meanwhile, Philippe Coutinho has had a productive spell at Bayern Munich but there are talks that the Bavarians may not exercise their option to buy him for 120 million euros. Of course, that could change as the summer drags closer and the Bundesliga giants appoint a permanent boss to replace the now interim man Flick.
Quique Setien also has not included Philippe Coutinho in his plans for the upcoming season, according to Mirror so the player’s best bet would be to leave the club. In order to raise money to sanction a move for their two most primary targets in Neymar and Lautaro Martinez, the Blaugrana have lowered Coutinho’s asking price to 80 million euros.
Chelsea were initially tipped to make a move for the Brazil international in case Bayern Munich passed on, but the Blues have now signed Hakim Ziyech so it is difficult to think that they might invest on another winger when they already have Christian Pulisic in their squad as well. But Liverpool could reportedly be planning a blockbuster return for the Brazilian.
Jurgen Klopp currently manages Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah who inarguably form the most formidable attacking trio in the world right now. Neither of them are planning to leave at least for the time being and leaving any of the three players out would mean that the Reds struggle because they are practically indispensable.
If Coutinho indeed heads back to Liverpool, there is a chance that he will be sporadically used. Having said that, the Premier League’s eventual and inevitable champions are likely to move for Kai Havertz in the summer. The Bayer Leverkusen man is a wanted property across Europe and a kind of player that the defending European champions need.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how highly do you rate Coutinho’s chances of returning to the Anfield?