First having a £72mn bid rejected for Brazilian international Philippe Coutinho as coach Jurgen Klopp insisted that Liverpool are “not a selling club”, Barcelona are reportedly regrouping and ready to return to the bargaining table with a fresh £80mn offer.
Even before PSG’s astonishing proposal to Neymar, the Catalans’ desire to land Coutinho had been no secret. Back in March, in the aftermath of a 4-1 Seleção victory over Uruguay in Montevideo in which Neymar scored a superb solo effort to seal all three points and Brazil’s passage to next summer’s World Cup, Liverpudlian stomachs dropped upon viral circulation of photos that appeared to have a nervously-smiling Coutinho tapped up by Neymar, his best friend in football since U-17’s international duty, and the last big name to swap Anfield for the Camp Nou – Luis Suarez – in the dugout at full-time.
A swoop for Coutinho this summer was always predicted and similarly feared on Merseyside. It’s ironic though that, in developments no-one could have predicted, that his capture could, however, be as a replacement to Neymar as opposed to a reuniting of the pair while Blaugrana officials remain adamant that they will keep their number 11.
Ever since his rise to prominence, Coutinho has been viewed as a replacement for the aging Andres Iniesta to be combined with other lengthy-pursuit and purported Xavi-heir Marco Verratti, identically and inextricably caught up in the outcome of the potential Neymar to PSG move. Often using the left flank at Liverpool to embark on cutting diagonal runs in a similar vein as Neymar, Coutinho would occupy a deeper, more central midfield territory in Spain.
For new coach Ernesto Valverde, a nightmare scenario would be landing neither man and losing Neymar as PSG reportedly have eyes for Coutinho too and would prefer to keep Verratti as they prepare an improved contract for the Italian playmaker.
Even with the Neymar money, a reported €222mn that triggers his release clause, Barça would face the risk of paying hyper-inflated fees for squad improvements from rival clubs well aware that the La Liga outfit has money to burn and is in dire need of players fit to mount a worthy challenge to bitter rivals Real Madrid’s attempt to defend their title.
Signing a contract extension last season to stay in the northwest until at least 2021, Coutinho put Liverpool and their fans’ minds at temporary rest by stating a desire to “be someone” at their club as opposed to “just another player” at European giants such as Barça, Real and Bayern. How true he stays to his word in the face of a concrete proposition, with Liverpool no stranger to accepting such mammoth sums as seen by Suarez’s sale in 2014, remains to be seen.
