Philippe Coutinho

[spud_gun]

No, I wouldn't sell him. He will be very important for us between now and the end of the season. If a deal is to be agreed it needs to be similar to the Keita deal, whereby we agree a fee now, for him to leave at the end of the season.

In terms of replacement, he's not been linked, but I'd be looking to snap up, Nabil Fekir. I didn't think he'd come back to the same level before his injury but my gosh he's come back even stronger and better. That left foot of his, is pure magic.

If he doesn't want to play then sell.

Irrespective of how good or important a player he is. That's a line that once crossed there's no going back. It's utterly unforgivable.

[labourRed]

No, I wouldn't sell him. He will be very important for us between now and the end of the season. If a deal is to be agreed it needs to be similar to the Keita deal, whereby we agree a fee now, for him to leave at the end of the season.

In terms of replacement, he's not been linked, but I'd be looking to snap up, Nabil Fekir. I didn't think he'd come back to the same level before his injury but my gosh he's come back even stronger and better. That left foot of his, is pure magic.

We've already got one Fecker, we don't need another. I'd try for Draxler, he's about the only getable player who could step up another level IMO but I generally trust our scouting these days.

[Doc_Piptorious]

No, I wouldn't sell him. He will be very important for us between now and the end of the season. If a deal is to be agreed it needs to be similar to the Keita deal, whereby we agree a fee now, for him to leave at the end of the season.

In terms of replacement, he's not been linked, but I'd be looking to snap up, Nabil Fekir. I didn't think he'd come back to the same level before his injury but my gosh he's come back even stronger and better. That left foot of his, is pure magic.

Fekir is quality, but even if we got him I would not be happy if he and he alone was the only player to come in with any money raised from Coutinho. Same with LR's suggestion of Draxler.


For me if we got either of Draxler or Fekir, I would want a second quality player brought in with the rest of the money so that for losing Coutinho we add two first team quality players to replace one first team player.

Only way I would be hapy to replace Coutinho with one player would be if that one player was top class already

[marcus50bucks]

Fekir is quality, but even if we got him I would not be happy if he and he alone was the only player to come in with any money raised from Coutinho. Same with LR's suggestion of Draxler.


For me if we got either of Draxler or Fekir, I would want a second quality player brought in with the rest of the money so that for losing Coutinho we add two first team quality players to replace one first team player.

Only way I would be hapy to replace Coutinho with one player would be if that one player was top class already

I agree with you on that

[marcus50bucks]

Philippe Coutinho, Barcelona and why Liverpool still hold all the aces in transfer pursuit
James Pearce on why it would make no sense for the Reds to sell the Brazilian this month

By James Pearce
14:22, 2 JAN 2018 UPDATED 15:57, 2 JAN 2018

We've been here before.

The transfer window is open, Philippe Coutinho isn't fit for selection and the Catalan media believe he's on the brink of signing for Barcelona.


“Coutinho will not wear the No 10 shirt of Liverpool again,” stated Spanish newspaper 'Sport' on Tuesday.

The Barcelona-based publication expects a deal worth around 150million Euros (£133million) to go through in the coming days.

For that to happen, things will certainly have to change quickly. As it stands Liverpool have had no fresh approach from Barca and there is no offer on the table.

If Coutinho has no intention of playing for the Reds in the second half of the season then he has yet to articulate those thoughts to manager Jurgen Klopp .

Of course last summer provided a lesson in the perils of reading too much into the daily bulletins from Spain.

The stream of misinformation was constant from the regular updates about 'a breakthrough in negotiations' to details about Coutinho's imminent unveiling at the Camp Nou. It was all nonsense.

Trying to deflect attention away from their failure to land their top target, Barcelona director Albert Soler even claimed that Liverpool offered to sell Coutinho to them for £200million on deadline day.

The Anfield hierarchy angrily refuted that. They were adamant that no price was ever set and no talks had ever taken place because Coutinho, whose transfer request was ignored, simply wasn't for sale.

Three bids - the highest offering a headline-grabbing £118million including add-ons but with only £82million guaranteed – had all been quickly rejected.

Liverpool's hardline stance paid off. Not only did the Brazil international stay put but he knuckled down and flourished in the first half of the season. He has netted 12 goals in 20 appearances this term.

Yet that summer-long saga has now been re-ignited and this time the rhetoric from the club is different.

Neither the owners nor Klopp himself have publicly stated that Coutinho is going nowhere.

The manager was adamant last week that Liverpool didn't need to balance the books following the £75million signing of Virgil van Dijk, but he stopped short of guaranteeing that Coutinho would still be at Anfield come February.

Why? Maybe Klopp knows that an offer could arrive from Barca this month which is just too good to turn down.

Maybe Klopp would rather invest that cash in a top-class attacking replacement who wants to be at the club rather than keep a player against his wishes for a second successive window.

Alternatively, it could be that Liverpool and Klopp just don't want to inflame the situation. That they have no intention of losing Coutinho this month but don't want to alienate their biggest asset.

After all, if Barca don't come up with a suitable offer – in excess of £125million - then the Reds would be able to justifiably claim that it wasn't them who wrecked his dream move.

What is undeniable is that Liverpool still hold all the aces. Coutinho is under contract until 2022 and has no release clause.

It would make little sense to sell him this month. There's too much for the Reds to play for between now and May.

Plus, Barcelona will win La Liga with or without Coutinho and he wouldn't be eligible to play for them in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

This summer remains the most likely departure time for Coutinho. Agreeing a deal this month for July might just suit all parties.

Coutinho gets his wish, Barca get their man and Klopp has time to plot the future without him.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport...still-14103826

[marcus50bucks]

Philippe Coutinho confident he has played his last game for Liverpool amid Barcelona saga

Paul Joyce, Northern Football Correspondent
January 2 2018, 5:00pm,
The Times

Philippe Coutinho believes he has played his last game for Liverpool, but it will take an offer in the region of €150 million [about £133 million] from Barcelona if the Anfield club is to consider letting him leave this month.

Liverpool’s public refusal to recommit to their stance of the summer when the player was not for sale at any price has raised Coutinho’s hopes he can finally make a move to the Nou Camp.

He is already preparing the way to quit the club he joined for £8.5 million in January 2013 from Inter Milan, but the onus is on Barcelona to now back up their long-term pursuit of Coutinho having had three bids rejected in the summer.

The last of those offers was for £118 million, and included add-ons worth £36 million which would only be triggered if Coutinho reached personal landmarks such as winning the Ballon d’Or.

It would take an improved overall offer, and a more realistic package, to start a conversation with Liverpool, but it continues to be significant that the Premier League club will not say the player is not for sale.

Barcelona paid an initial £96.8 million, potentially rising to £135.5 million, when signing Ousmane Dembélé from Borussia Dortmund in the summer.

Coutinho missed the New Year’s Day victory over Burnley with a minor thigh injury, but he did not play throughout the August transfer window due to a back problem as Barcelona repeatedly tried to force Liverpool’s hand.

He is also rated as a doubt for Friday’s FA Cup third round tie with neighbours Everton and there will be concern that any issue could linger while the window is open.

Jürgen Klopp was asked about the Nike advert advertising Barcelona shirts with Coutinho’s name on them – the Brazilian is sponsored by the sportswear company and a link to the advert appeared on the Catalan club’s website – during his post-match press conference at Turf Moor, but was again dismissive of the topic.

“I couldn’t be less interested in anything in the world, but somebody told me and I thought, ‘Wow’,” said the Liverpool manager.

He has consistently rebuffed any attempt to discuss Coutinho’s long-term future even when it was put to him that Liverpool’s season is at such stage that sanctioning the 25-year-old’s departure could adversely affect attempts to remain in the top four of the Premier League and hinder their Champions League campaign. Liverpool face Porto in the last 16 next month.

Coutinho is unable to play for Barcelona in Europe, and coach Ernesto Valverde’s side are nine points clear at the summit of La Liga.

However, it is clear Coutinho wants to leave in this transfer window and a report in Spain today indicated that he has told Liverpool he does not want to play for them again.

The saga is now dependent on two things: Barcelona’s next bid but also Liverpool’s response.

That, in itself, indicates a sea-change by Anfield officials whose stance was clearly defined from the moment Mike Gordon, president of Fenway Sports Group, told Coutinho he would not leave in the summer window during face to face talks at the start of August.

Klopp was asked last Friday about risking Liverpool’s season by selling Coutinho and his reluctance to discuss the matter.

He said: “I try to be honest but you know that in January and all the next transfer windows I don’t talk about that. Phil especially. There is nothing to say.

“The transfer window starts on 1 January and a few things will happen at other clubs. Something has happened at our club already [Virgil van Dijk signing]. I have nothing to say about it. The only thing I am interested in is how is Phil playing at the moment?

“I was really happy about the last few performances and his impact. He showed his character in the games and in the training sessions. He was spot on. That is what I am interested in. All the rest I can’t and I am not interested in talking about because if I open the door you [the media] will run all the way through. There is nothing to say.

“In my business it makes absolutely no sense to talk about things that could maybe happen because that creates stories that are 90 per cent of the time not true. Why should I do that? I will never do it to be honest.”

It was then specifically put to Klopp that he could end the Coutinho-Barcelona saga by saying he was not leaving.

“Then I would say something. You can write whatever you want, sorry,” he added.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/p...saga-s0vk0rv66

[Leyton388]

If the rat refuses to play we should refuse to pay him. And if hes refusing to play for us again he's a massive cunt. Barca need to Pay the fee we want or **** off.

[Chris]

Well this is a bit depressing. Our seemingly changing stance from "not for sale" and talk of 130m is pretty laughable for me, second highest fee ever or not. I'm a bit baffled this is even up for discussion, it's mid season and we are trying to get top 4 again and have a good shot at making a CL run with an attack that can destroy anyone. They should be told to get ****ed.

He's a cunt of a lad though so it is difficult but at some point we have to get out of this thing about being open to letting our best players go, if it takes upsetting him or whatever then so be it because it doesn't end here, Salah is next.

[Shaggy]

We need to get him off the books asap now. He's been brilliant, especially this season so fair play to him for that. He's only done what VVD did, as bitter a pill as it is to swallow. If we get £130m or thereabouts it's still mad money.

[Shaggy]

He's a cunt of a lad though so it is difficult but at some point we have to get out of this thing about being open to letting our best players go, if it takes upsetting him or whatever then so be it because it doesn't end here, Salah is next.

This is true. All this constant ****e and speculation is irritating though - so it should either be get rid asap, or be absolutely 100% clear and say you're not going anywhere. But that's not gonna happen.

[Chris]

Yeah it's proper crap and players do seemingly hold all the power even if we can hold off for a few months sometimes. I can't help but think if Barca went to City or Chelsea with 130m or even more for De Bruyne or Hazard in mid season they'd be told to **** right off though while we'll be like ahh he's yours! I know it's easier with financial doping and a recent history of trophies but we wont get a recent history of trophies again if we keep selling our best players so what do we do?!

I'm not actually that convinced the 4 is very well balanced so we *could* come out of it better off with my optimistic hat on but if we do this now it's Salah next and if all he has to do is fake an injury to get his move...

[peekay]

Well this is a bit depressing. Our seemingly changing stance from "not for sale" and talk of 130m is pretty laughable for me, second highest fee ever or not. I'm a bit baffled this is even up for discussion, it's mid season and we are trying to get top 4 again and have a good shot at making a CL run with an attack that can destroy anyone. They should be told to get ****ed.

He's a cunt of a lad though so it is difficult but at some point we have to get out of this thing about being open to letting our best players go, if it takes upsetting him or whatever then so be it because it doesn't end here, Salah is next.

130 million is a laughable fee. Monaco want close to 92 million for Lemar. If we are selling him it should be close to 200 milion.

It is all about setting a precedent also. We cannot let Barca or Real bully us to sell our players.

It also makes no sense to agree on a fee now for the summer. Madrid have had a horrible season by their standards. This is a world cup summer year. They have the habit of shelling out a large amount of money on the latest world cup star to pacify their fans. Unlike Barcelona, Madrid actually pay full value.

If there is even a slight chance that Madrid or PSG might enter the race in summer, we should hold out.

[Fan65]

If there wasn’t a massive boost to the bank balace in the offing I don’t think we’d be coughing up £75 million for the most expensive unproven at top level defender in the world.

Especially considering the financial investment already promised for Keita.

When he leaves so be it, long live the king.

[peekay]

Yeah it's proper crap and players do seemingly hold all the power even if we can hold off for a few months sometimes. I can't help but think if Barca went to City or Chelsea with 130m or even more for De Bruyne or Hazard in mid season they'd be told to **** right off though while we'll be like ahh he's yours! I know it's easier with financial doping and a recent history of trophies but we wont get a recent history of trophies again if we keep selling our best players so what do we do?!

I'm not actually that convinced the 4 is very well balanced so we *could* come out of it better off with my optimistic hat on but if we do this now it's Salah next and if all he has to do is fake an injury to get his move...

[Tatterdemalion]

I wonder if the club are eyeing up a massive legal settlement from Barca given their Nike mistake (and surely Nike didn't 'screw up' alone) makes our keeping him untenable? In which case, he goes this window.