It is not often that players that have played for the Red of Merseyside are transfer targets for the lads at Old Trafford. But the story of one Philippe Coutinho could be a little different.
According to the latest story from Express Sport, Barcelona will be more than happy to off-load the playmaker for just £77m this summer. Manchester United are touted as one the clubs interested in this deal, alongside former club Liverpool and Chelsea.
Though Philippe Coutinho’s stance on this prospective union is unknown, is this a deal that makes sense for anyone involved?
Curious Case Of Philippe Coutinho
Having acquired ‘world-class’ status in Jurgen Klopp’s first couple of years at Anfield, Coutinho made a high profile move to Barcelona in January 2018 and ever since, not much has gone his way.
He does have two La Liga titles to his name but Coutinho played just 76 games in all competitions for the Catalan giants, registering 21 goals and 11 assists, before being shipped off on loan to Bayern Munich last summer.
The Brazilian does have six goals and six assists in 12 league starts in Germany but he has not managed to impress enough for the Bundesliga giants to match his £102m valuation.
According to the same report, Bayern have all but decided not to extend his Allianz Arena stay, leaving Coutinho’s future up in the air.
At 27, he can still hit form to emerge as one of the best playmakers in Europe and is currently also a regular for the national side.
His price tag may be a bit too high, but back in the Premier League, Philippe Coutinho may yet hit the heights he promised before leaving the country a couple of years ago.
Philippe Coutinho: Right Man For Ole?
The Red Devils recently spent big on Bruno Fernandes to add creativity to their side. But Coutinho is a more versatile and established playmaker, who can have a bigger impact at the club.
Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard are both struggling in these roles so United can afford to play Coutinho and Fernandes in the same team, with a stable midfield, adding a different dimension to Ole’s system at Old Trafford.
At 27, Philippe Coutinho brings a lot of experience to the side, and alongside the likes of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, he could form a lethal attacking team, that can trouble the best in Europe.
So in footballing terms, this is something which can be stretched to make sense. But taking into other factors and variables, this rumour could well be relegated to the backbenches pretty soon.
His connection with Liverpool, the price tag involved and United’s recent spending in the transfer market, all make this move a virtual non-story at the moment.
