This would make a lot of sense, for Liverpool anyway.
Jamie Carragher has been speaking about how Barcelona’s pursuit of Philippe Coutinho could play out. Coutinho is reportedly wanted by the Catalan club, and they are prepared to pay over £80m for it to happen.
Understandably, Liverpool don’t want to lose their best player, regardless of the fee being offered, and the Brazilian only signed a five year deal back in January. However, it is equally understandable that Coutinho would like to join Barcelona. After all, what footballer, other than Neymar, wouldn’t want to play for Barcelona?
Never going to happen https://t.co/RDFFIURRKJ
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) July 30, 2017
Jurgen Klopp could face a fight to keep hold of the player, particularly if Neymar’s transfer to Paris Saint-Germain happens, and many Liverpool fans fear the worse.
However, Jamie Carragher reckons Coutinho will stay at the club this summer, but they will eventually lose him to Barcelona. The former Liverpool defender feels the club can get another season out of him, the way Manchester United were able to keep Cristiano Ronaldo for another year, after he sought to leave for Real Madrid in 2008.
Klopp is thought to have been set to bid for the player before the Coutinho rumours started up https://t.co/ovphTmxN1Z
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) July 29, 2017
“Yes, I do! Hopefully we can get 12 more months out of him,” Carragher replied, when asked by 5times.co.uk if he thinks Coutinho will remain at Liverpool.
“When he signed his five-year deal, I didn’t think that he would see it out. There is no doubt that at one stage in his career Philippe will want to play for one of the Spanish giants, as many of the South American players do. Barcelona and Real Madrid are seen as the two biggest teams in world football who always have the best players.”
He just had to https://t.co/j3lTv8el1o
— JOE (@JOE_co_uk) July 27, 2017
Carragher also said that the 25-year-old is the “ideal signing” for Barcelona, and could potentially be Andreas Iniesta’s long-term replacement. The Sky Sports pundit urged Liverpool fans to enjoy watching Coutinho while they can, because he will, eventually, leave.
“I think that Liverpool fans should really enjoy him over the next 12 months as if a big money offer does come in at the end of next season and if the player wants to play for Barcelona then there is not really much Liverpool can do. Let’s just hope we see him in a Liverpool shirt next season, which I think we will, and then let’s see where things go from there.”
