Why Liverpool Should Accept Barcelona’s Big Offer And Let Go Of Philippe Coutinho
Not much has gone right for Anfield outfit Liverpool since the end of last season as they have not been able to land their top transfer targets this summer. They are on the verge of losing two first team stars before the deadline day of the transfer window.
The likes of Naby Keita and Virgil van Dijk have both been out of the reach for the Reds and if that was not enough pain, Liverpool are now set to lose their talisman in Philippe Coutinho. Having signed a 5-year contract not even a year ago, Coutinho has handed in a transfer request amidst interest from Spanish giants Barcelona.
Liverpool are adamant that he is not for sale, at least this summer, but reports claim that Coutinho has told the manager that he does not want to play in a Liverpool shirt again and it might just be time for the Reds to let go of him.
At just 25, the former Inter Milan playmaker has established himself as one of the best in the business in Europe and is yet to make an appearance for Liverpool this season. He is currently nursing a back injury but the general consensus among fans is that he is avoiding training with Liverpool as he wants to quit immediately.
Barcelona have already been pegged back with a couple of less than impressive offers but reports claim that they are ready to make a concrete offer of £118m and that the verbal agreement with the player will be enough for them to get this deal done.
The cliché ‘no player is bigger than the club’ is ringing among supporters who want Liverpool to get rid of him. But in general, the fans of the club are divided in this issue.
While some want him to never play for the club after the transfer request, some want Coutinho to give Liverpool one more year, this time in Europe, before he makes his inevitable move to Camp Nou. However, the biggest factor in Liverpool letting him leave will be the availability of replacements.
With less than two weeks left of the transfer window, Liverpool cannot afford to leave a hole in Coutinho’s shape but with £118m in their pocket, they should be able to lure some of the finest talents in world football to the club before the deadline day.
The likes of Julian Draxler are now available on the transfer market and though Coutinho will be a huge loss, it is time for Liverpool to move on and establish a side with players who are ready to fight for the club even in the darkest times