Philippe Coutinho

[Tatterdemalion]

https://twitter.com/AnfieldExpress/s...81413475938304

He might have, but he'd have to be a special sort of idiot to actually do this. Don't believe it. Just sad that it appears to be a LFC channel carrying the story.

[cream]

The thing is, we've lost him for a month and then who knows what he's gonna like beyond January when he doesn't get his move. Let's hope the drama doesn't affect the rest of the team.

In a way I want Barca to put up the money and Coutinho sold asap.

[Darkon]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jan/02/liverpool-to-demand-huge-fee-from-barcelona-for-philippe-coutinho-january-sale

Reckons it will take more than £130m for us to sell.

To be honest I can't see any reason for us to sell now and for Barca to want him that badly before the summer window. He can't help them in the CL and Barca are running with the title anyways... So a Keita type of deal maybe?

[cream]

Who would you like to see as a replacement?

[Norbs]

https://www.theguardian.com/football...o-january-sale

Reckons it will take more than £130m for us to sell.

To be honest I can't see any reason for us to sell now and for Barca to want him that badly before the summer window. He can't help them in the CL and Barca are running with the title anyways... So a Keita type of deal maybe?

He can help them in the CL because they will have weakened the best side in the competition

[Darkon]

Who would you like to see as a replacement?

If we sold him in this window, I'd have no clue who to get tbh. I think that would just leave us one man short untill the Summer, which is less than ideal to be honest. And not sure we would even look for an outright playmaker to replace him. But someone like Lucas Moura sees little game time at PSG, so maybe that could be an option if we continue the mostly prevalent transfer strategy. Or we could go big with Lemar or the Serbian from Lazio even.

In all honesty I think we need to look at how to adapt when Coutinho makes the move rather than outright replace him, but hopefully it won't be untill summer and it gives us time to find a proper replacement.

[Darkon]

He can help them in the CL because they will have weakened the best side in the competition

I like your spirit

[Fosterbloke]

Hopefully the club makea a statement announcing a near world record fee for a transfer in the summer.

That way everyone is happy - we can plan our summer buying accordingly and Coutinho can help us win number 6 and finish in the top 4 again.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

If we sold him in this window, I'd have no clue who to get tbh. I think that would just leave us one man short untill the Summer, which is less than ideal to be honest. And not sure we would even look for an outright playmaker to replace him. But someone like Lucas Moura sees little game time at PSG, so maybe that could be an option if we continue the mostly prevalent transfer strategy. Or we could go big with Lemar or the Serbian from Lazio even.

In all honesty I think we need to look at how to adapt when Coutinho makes the move rather than outright replace him, but hopefully it won't be untill summer and it gives us time to find a proper replacement.

It's a difficult situation and like some have said it seems completely unnecessary, Barcelona are flying in the league and apart from rotation to keep players fit for the CL I don't see their motivation to get an early deal.

If we sold him for £130m I think the club would want the vast majority up front, none of the silly business from the summer with ridiculous clauses.

In terms of January, its tough isn't it. You're gonna have to pay a premium to get Lemar or the likes out of their clubs halfway through a season. We have too much to play for though to be a man short for 5 months!

Agree a deal for the summer, fine. Phil has proven he's at least professional on the pitch and we can assess for the summer. I'd like to see us spend on a GK, perhaps Oblak if he'd come and maybe like you say we replace Coutinho in a different way.

[Leyton388]

The thing that worries me is that we sell him now, don't get a replacement and wait until the summer the miss put on CL football and then miss out on our top target because of it. Keep him until the summer and get a top 4 finish at least then sell him in the knowledge we can offer his replacement CL

We do however need to get put of this habit of selling pur best players when we are on the brink of something special. It's one step forward and two steps back.

Someone said earlier that if Barca had approached city or Chelsea for one of their top players this window they would be told to **** off and I don't see why we can't do that.

[Shaggy]

Who would you like to see as a replacement?

Surely we'd have to be looking at the likes of Lemar, Pulisic or Fekir.

[danperkins]

Unfortunate thing is that whoever comes in will be a massive downgrade and we will probably get absolutely rifled on the fee too as we are desperate.

We should be selling any of our top players mid season, it is absolutely ****ing idiotic! Common trend with LFC is everytime something is going right or things are looking good... something happens to pull us right back. It's insanely annoying.

[Leyton388]

It will be Phil now and Mo next summer.

[danperkins]

Yup Salah is next

[Fosterbloke]

Surely we'd have to be looking at the likes of Lemar, Pulisic or Fekir.

Pulisic is having a brilliant season so there's zero chance of signing him even though it makes a lot of sense both sporting and marketing wise.

I don't know anything about Fekir and Lemar hasn't played much this season so maybe a one season wonder?

I think I'd go for Mahrez, he has the intelligence and technical ability to replace Coutinho and would increase our African contingent too!

We already have players from Egypt, Senegal, Cameroon and Guinea!

Maybe we'll sign someone from Gabon too...