Philippe Coutinho

[Doc_Piptorious]

I'm guessing we won't spend 75% of Coutinho money just on Lemar? Monaco wanted 90m in August, it will probably be even more now.

Don't see how his value will have gone up tbh.

He has four months less on his contract now, has not been in the same sort of form as last season, and not getting as much game time.

[Fuzzy]

Lemar is not worth anything like that kind of money - been average this season - would prefer us to sign Mahrez who is proven in the EPL.

Mahrez for Coutinho, that's depressing isn't it

There's not one realistic scenario in which we're better off selling him now.
Keep until the summer, then reinvest the money into two top players at the most.

Keita is already coming, Goretzka on a free if we can pull it off, two good attackers / attacking midfielders for Coutinho money, maybe if we can get around 25m for Wijnaldum and Mignolet combined, reinvest that into a new goalkeeper, keep the rest. Maybe add Akanji if there's some cash left (and if it's even true we're after him). That would actually be a good summer despite Coutinho leaving, but we desperately need to keep him until then.

And hope we're not selling him just to cover for Keita and Van Dijk.

[Lecter]

Lemar and Mahrez dont strike me as Coutinho type players. They would seem more like Mane/Salah type players (pacey wide players / attackers)

So if we are buying one of these lads as his replacement we are altering the focus of how we play and how we supply the forward players

Who out there plays similar to Coutinho

[Fuzzy]

Don't see how his value will have gone up tbh.

He has four months less on his contract now, has not been in the same sort of form as last season, and not getting as much game time.

His value is what Monaco tell us to pay. If they don't want to lose a talented young key player in January, especially after having already sold half their team, then I doubt it will be less than what they wanted in August.

Unless if we can get him to go on strike
Maybe post something like that on the NB website: "Thomas Lemar is ready to light up Anfield. Get your 2017/8 Liverpool FC kit with the Magician's name on it. Act fast - free personalisation only available until January 6."
That's just off the top of my head, doesn't have to be precisely that.

[Alex]

Yep. His value is the price we agree. Nothing more or less. Its literally how free market capitalism works

[Fierce]

Lemar and Mahrez dont strike me as Coutinho type players. They would seem more like Mane/Salah type players (pacey wide players / attackers)

So if we are buying one of these lads as his replacement we are altering the focus of how we play and how we supply the forward players

Who out there plays similar to Coutinho

That's what I was saying. We don't play with a number 10, which is what Lemar COULD play as - though he looks to be a wide attacker like Mahrez, and we've got 2 of the best in the league already

Aside from being **** hot, he's pretty unique in that he plays as a creative central midfielder. You could argue that any true '10' would be capable I guess

Hamsik at Napoli?
Ascensio? Isco? Kovacic? Modric?
Koke?
Thiago?
Turan?
Moutinho?
Erikssen?
Andre Gomes?

[baronvonskidmark]

This is a really tricky one for the club and if he is going to create a toxic atmosphere by refusing to play, then we need to get the best deal and get shot asap.

Holding him against his will would surely make other players think twice before signing for us. How many transfer windows can we expect to keep a player here who does not want to be here?

The other side of it is the effect on the rest of the squad. We would want Coutinho for the big games I guess, but how would Mane for example feel if it was Coutinho rather than him playing in a big CL game against Real Madrid? Surely he'd be pretty pissed off if a bloke who is not committed to the club was getting game time over him. Mane seems committed to the club and in all probability helped us land Keita, a major target, in the summer.

It's a tough one for the club but I have faith that they'll do what's best for us and Klopp will have a major say in what happens, including targeting replacements.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Lemar and Mahrez dont strike me as Coutinho type players. They would seem more like Mane/Salah type players (pacey wide players / attackers)

So if we are buying one of these lads as his replacement we are altering the focus of how we play and how we supply the forward players

Who out there plays similar to Coutinho

Similar-ish would be guys like Dybala or Fekir (albeit the latter is playing in a more advanced role this season to last and has been banging in the goals since that positional change).


Someone like Veratti would be a different style of player and play much deeper, but he would bring a level of top class quality to the centre of the park that could replace the quality of Coutinho although not in a like for like manner.


That guy at West Ham, Manzini looks similar-ish in terms of style but is difficult to know how good he actually is with dross around him in the attacking third of that team.


Lorenzo Insigne at Napoli can play in a similar role too, but from what I have seen of him this season he seems to be playing more on the left side of attack.


Draxler I think might be able for the role too as he is good on the wing and as an AM. He is fast, skillful and around or just over the six foot mark so decent in the air. But would still be a bit of a gamble although a very talented gamble.


Very few of those I named would be on Coutinho's level in terms of sheer ability/quality right now though. Dybala and Veratti would be at the same level or maybe a touch above, but the most of the rest are guys who are good but who maybe can get to the same level with better attackers around them.

Fekir would be the wildcard there as I suspect he may actually be a lot closer to being a top class player than the others and may already be at the level to step into a a starring role with a bigger club than where he is at .


Of course if we got in a player who is currently 75% or 80% as good as Coutinho ( which would still make that player a very good addition) and we added another quality player, then it could be argued we would have a stronger starting X1 without Coutinho than with, but that is in the realms of ifs and buts.


But remaining in that realm, let's take PSG for example, it is being said that they need to move players on to meet FFP rules before they can buy big again. Draxler there is meant to be available for around the 35m to 40m mark. If we got 130m for Coutinho, then maybe offer the lot for Draxler and Veratti.

Do think that we could get one of the maybe players from above (Fekir, Draxler, Manzini, etc) for something in the 35m to 60m range depending on which one. If we got 130m for Coutimnho then that leaves somewhere between 70m and 95m for a second high quality addition. Simplistic yes, but not exactly something we have not seen other teams do when they get big fees for a single player.

Yes a big fee can be wasted by buying too many average players, but spend it on a couple of higher quality players and maybe, just maybe, we could end up being better off thanwe are now.

[Phoenix07]

Lemar and Mahrez dont strike me as Coutinho type players. They would seem more like Mane/Salah type players (pacey wide players / attackers)

So if we are buying one of these lads as his replacement we are altering the focus of how we play and how we supply the forward players

Who out there plays similar to Coutinho

I think Klopp would convert Lemar, or any incoming replacement, to be able to operate centrally.

[Fierce]

I honestly don't think that these people are anywhere near as emotional as we portray them to be

Sure, they want moves, but this is their career. Coutinho might well do everything in his power to force a move, but if we don't get the right offer or decide that it is not in the club's best interests to sell, then he isn't going to refuse to play. It'll destroy his reputation, affect his chances of playing for his national team, and have a detrimental effect on his fitness

I don't think there would be a toxic atmosphere either. It's Barca, its not like he's agitating for a move to Utd. I'm sure all of his teammates would be thrilled if Barca wanted to pay a near world record fee for them, so they won't be hating on him for wanting the move to arguably the best team in the world

[memzey]

Ozil anyone?

[kev776]

We never replaced Gerrard and we survived, we don't need a like for like replacement. Keita and another midfielder of his ilk plus Lallana, Mane, Salah and Firmino will be spotty dog.

Spend huge on a goalkeeper of the highest quality and we will not be far away.

[Lecter]

Similar-ish would be guys like Dybala or Fekir (albeit the latter is playing in a more advanced role this season to last and has been banging in the goals since that positional change).


Someone like Veratti would be a different style of player and play much deeper, but he would bring a level of top class quality to the centre of the park that could replace the quality of Coutinho although not in a like for like manner.


That guy at West Ham, Manzini looks similar-ish in terms of style but is difficult to know how good he actually is with dross around him in the attacking third of that team.


Lorenzo Insigne at Napoli can play in a similar role too, but from what I have seen of him this season he seems to be playing more on the left side of attack.


Draxler I think might be able for the role too as he is good on the wing and as an AM. He is fast, skillful and around or just over the six foot mark so decent in the air. But would still be a bit of a gamble although a very talented gamble.


Very few of those I named would be on Coutinho's level in terms of sheer ability/quality right now though. Dybala and Veratti would be at the same level or maybe a touch above, but the most of the rest are guys who are good but who maybe can get to the same level with better attackers around them.

Fekir would be the wildcard there as I suspect he may actually be a lot closer to being a top class player than the others and may already be at the level to step into a a starring role with a bigger club than where he is at .


Of course if we got in a player who is currently 75% or 80% as good as Coutinho ( which would still make that player a very good addition) and we added another quality player, then it could be argued we would have a stronger starting X1 without Coutinho than with, but that is in the realms of ifs and buts.


But remaining in that realm, let's take PSG for example, it is being said that they need to move players on to meet FFP rules before they can buy big again. Draxler there is meant to be available for around the 35m to 40m mark. If we got 130m for Coutinho, then maybe offer the lot for Draxler and Veratti.

Do think that we could get one of the maybe players from above (Fekir, Draxler, Manzini, etc) for something in the 35m to 60m range depending on which one. If we got 130m for Coutimnho then that leaves somewhere between 70m and 95m for a second high quality addition. Simplistic yes, but not exactly something we have not seen other teams do when they get big fees for a single player.

Yes a big fee can be wasted by buying too many average players, but spend it on a couple of higher quality players and maybe, just maybe, we could end up being better off thanwe are now.

Thanks for that

Had forgotten about Fekir, watched him last year and he looked a player

What about Kovacic (sp)??

[Doc_Piptorious]

Ozil anyone?

In terms of ability/skill/vision he is certainly on that level, and we do have the sort of attackers in the team that in theory should see an assist machine like Ozil rake up serious numbers. His technique is pretty much world class.

Just something about him that would have me seeing him as a pretty big gamble despite all that ability. Think his work rate would need a serious upgrade in order for him to flourish in a Klopp team, and his positioning when his team does not have the ball is suspect too although that may be as much down to lack of effort in defensive terms than any problems reading/seeing threats to his own team.

[baronvonskidmark]

I honestly don't think that these people are anywhere near as emotional as we portray them to be

Sure, they want moves, but this is their career. Coutinho might well do everything in his power to force a move, but if we don't get the right offer or decide that it is not in the club's best interests to sell, then he isn't going to refuse to play. It'll destroy his reputation, affect his chances of playing for his national team, and have a detrimental effect on his fitness

I don't think there would be a toxic atmosphere either. It's Barca, its not like he's agitating for a move to Utd. I'm sure all of his teammates would be thrilled if Barca wanted to pay a near world record fee for them, so they won't be hating on him for wanting the move to arguably the best team in the world

Good points mate - but we could easily see a situation where he is 'injured' for the whole of January at least.

I think it is a short career, especially at the elite level, so that players are naturally going to want to be experiencing the highs as they come. They would all like to be valued at world record fees and chased by top clubs - but if they are damn good and committed players anyway (Mane), surely they'd feel pissed off being potentially overlooked for certain games for someone with his eye on his next club.

I also noticed that RBL have felt the need to come out and say that Keita is still focussed on them, not us.