Manchester United have been linked with a surprise move to sign former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho, as per reports.
In spite of the Brazilian’s history with arch-rivals Liverpool, United have been constantly linked with a move for Coutinho, who is currently playing for Bayern Munich, on loan from Barcelona after joining the Blaugrana in January 2018 for a fee of £130.5 million.
As per Spanish website Mundo Deportivo, Manchester United are considering a move for the Brazilian, and will most likely have to compete with Tottenham, and Chelsea whose transfer ban has been lifted.
This may seem a non-story to many, but why does this move make sense for the struggling Red Devils?
Philippe Coutinho’s quality
Though he failed to impress in his time at Camp Nou, Philippe Coutinho still remains one of the most exciting playmakers on show in Europe.
Arriving at Liverpool as a star in the making back in 2013, Coutinho took no time to cement his place in the first team and was soon undroppable when fit.
In 152 Premier League appearances for Liverpool, the 27-year old registered 41 goals and 37 assists, providing some memorable moments for the fans. He failed to win any silverware as a Liverpool player, but swept away all individual awards at the club during the 2014/15 and 2015/16 season.
Coutinho failed to reach the levels Barcelona wanted from him, but he still managed 21 goals and 11 assists in 76 games for the Spanish side. He has once again found some form playing in Germany, where he has six goals and five assists in 15 league games.
But the pace of the Premier League is something that Coutinho has thrived in. His creativity in and around the final third is right up there with the best in the world and he has done enough to show that he can improve even the best of sides in Europe.
Coutinho can revive his career at Manchester United
Philippe Coutinho could turn into one of the most hated players on Merseyside if he ends up joining Manchester United. But there are many reasons why this move makes a lot of sense for the player and the club involved.
While United have some of the finest attackers in Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, lack of service against teams that are happy to defend for long periods has cost them plenty of points under Solskjaer.
Jesse Lingard, Juan Mata and Andreas Pereira have not created enough chances for United to win games consistently and the need for a playmaker is quite evident.
There are very few quality options available in the transfer market at the moment, that can add as much quality and experience to the side as Coutinho can.
At 27, the former Inter Milan man will enter his prime as a footballer in the next few years and a new beginning back in England could see him catch the best form of his life.
The style of play Solskjaer wants to implement at Old Trafford could all revolve around the Brazilian, who does have the quality to win games on his own.
His Liverpool connection and his price tag may yet make this deal difficult, but Coutinho might just be one of the very few players that can take United back to the top.
