Barcelona in trouble after Liverpool find Coutinho replacement.
Barcelona players have been in poor shape ever since the restart and their La Liga performances have left much to be desired. Club President, Josep Maria Bartomeu, has promised to bring in reinforcements, the two major targets being Lautaro Martinez and Neymar Jr, from Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain respectively.
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With Lautaro’s recent decline in performance and his desire to leave Inter, the Catalans seemed hopeful for a transfer in August and started raising finances accordingly, for what is estimated to be a 111 million euro fee. The biggest source would have been the sale of former Liverpool star, Philippe Coutinho, who is currently loaned out to Bayern Munich.
When they brought him in 2018, big things were expected of him but he fell short and Barcelona were unable to bring out the former star in him. While he’s doing well enough in Bayern, the Bundesliga side have outright refused any purchase option.
This caused Barca to look elsewhere for his sale, and the 28 year old’s former club came to the rescue. Jurgen Klopp, the Inter Coach, has often admitted his reluctance at letting Coutinho leave and was recently told to take him back should he apologize. While this could have been a huge relief for the Spanish Giants, the Premier League winners would have also loved to have him back as they have been unable to replace him, with Klopp opting for defensive strategies in a new goalkeeper.
However, after Liverpool’s clash against Burnley on Saturday, Barca might need a backup plan fast, as Liverpool find long-term Coutinho replacement. Curtis Jones, who came from the youth ranks has quickly found himself minutes on the first-team with the German Coach highly impressed. He showcased his very best skills against Burnley, indicating the bigger things he’s meant for.
Despite his similarities to Captain Jordan Henderson, Jones’ style reflects Coutinho more than anyone else, with the advanced mid fielder role coming naturally to him. If the Reds do give him regular minutes, the 19 year old could shine and eliminate their need to take back Coutinho entirely.
This leaves Barca in a lot of trouble, who have been relying on the sale to bring in Lautaro. With Liverpool out of the options, Barcelona still want a Premier League transfer for Coutinho as the team taking him on has to be able to afford his transfer fee as well as his wages. To this effect, Arsenal and Newcastle have been named potential spots although no definitive answer has come yet.
With the COVID-19 situation, putting all clubs in financial crisis, the Gunners and Magpies have a lot to consider before signing Coutinho on. The Blaugrana are ready to sell him at loss, with his current market value not as high as it used to be, and huge cry from the 120 million Barca paid to obtain him.
Should Barcelona sell Coutinho at a loss?