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Philippe Coutinho has endured a difficult eighteen months at Barcelona, as his dream move turned into a nightmare. He has fallen out of favor with the fans and his performances have not been at the level he is capable of. Coutinho's agent has made sort of a 'come and get me plea' to Liverpool, by ruling out a move to any Premier League club aside from the Reds.
The Brazilian joined Liverpool in 2013 from Inter Milan, for £8.5 million. For five years, he was the subject of massive adoration of the Kop thanks to his brilliant ability. Coutinho was Liverpool's star man for a while, up until the winter of 2017. In fact, he scored seven goals in his final month at Anfield.
Coutinho moved to Barcelona in January 2018, for a staggering £142 million. However, it seems like the Catalans will be looking to sell him this summer. The Reds have not made a major signing yet, but the links are all there. There may be a slight chance of seeing Coutinho make a sensational return to the club he played his best football at.
Here are three reasons why Liverpool should re-sign Philippe Coutinho, and three why they should not.
#3 (Should) He would improve the squad
This is quite an obvious statement, as Philippe Coutinho would improve any squad in the world. Despite Liverpool's recent success, their strength in depth may need some fine-tuning and they could do with a couple of additions this summer, as they look to win the Premier League title. Coutinho's versatility would be a boost to the Reds as well, as he can play as an attacking midfielder or on the left of the attacking three.
The Brazilian is a true world-class talent, this is a fact that Liverpool fans would know better than most. He can change games with his quick feet and has a spectacular eye for both, passing and scoring. Coutinho was the key player at Anfield for so long and looked to be the face of Jürgen Klopp's entire reign in Merseyside before he left for Barcelona. There is no doubt that the Reds would benefit from Coutinho's quality and brilliance.
#3 (Shouldn't) The manner of his departure
While he was delivering the goods for the Reds on the pitch, Philippe Coutinho did not conduct himself in the best possible way over the summer of 2017. He got desperate for a move to the Nou Camp, even refusing to play for Liverpool due to an apparent "back injury". He re-integrated himself into the team following transfer deadline day and played some of the best football of his life.
However, once 2018 hit, Coutinho was on the hunt for his move and he got it shortly after. He is not the first top player to leave Liverpool for a club in a better position, but the manner of his departure may be something that the fans have not forgotten. The Brazilian has felt the full wrath of the Reds faithful when Liverpool demolished Barcelona 4-0. It would take some doing for Coutinho to return into the Kop's good books.
#2 (Should) He is proven Premier League quality
If Coutinho does return to Liverpool, Jürgen Klopp will not have to worry about him settling in the world's toughest league. Some players find it hard to adjust to the physicality of the Premier League, with a bunch of world-class talents unable to adapt at all. The current Barcelona man has been tried and tested for five years, when at Liverpool. As said earlier, he was the Reds' best player for a few years.
Ever since scoring on his full-debut against Swansea, Philippe Coutinho has taken the Premier League by storm. He scored some mighty important goals for the Reds, including the winner in the prospective "title decider" against Manchester City in 2014. He scored 41 goals for Liverpool in the league, as he continually evolved as a player. He could continue his development under Jürgen Klopp if he does come back to Anfield.
#2 (Shouldn't) It might not make much financial sense
Liverpool earned a tasty profit over Philippe Coutinho, after signing him for a bargain fee of £8.5 million and the hefty amount Barcelona signed him for. Some of the money is still pending to be received, but a deal for the Brazilian would likely involve a lot more money. The Catalans would surely want as much as possible for the investment they made, with a price of £88 million doing the rounds.
It would not make sense for Liverpool to break their transfer record for Coutinho, especially with the possible baggage of expectation he would be carrying with him. As said earlier, the Reds do not need a major shift from their current position. Therefore, spending such money would not be a wise move. They could easily spend this kind of money on other additions to the squad, like a back-up forward or a full-back.
#1 (Should) Liverpool are technically yet to replace him
Ever since Philippe Coutinho headed for the Anfield exit door, Liverpool have not really replaced him. The Brazilian is a player capable of magic, someone who can make things happen in the blink of an eye. He can unlock even the tightest of defenses, as proved multiple times during his Reds career. Liverpool does not have that player anymore. Some of the goals that Coutinho scored for them were unreal, with a huge chunk of them coming at the best possible time.
The Reds have truly missed some of Coutinho's incredible ability on the ball and his incredible eye for goal. Some brilliance from the Brazilian may have overturned at least one of the seven draws Liverpool had last season, as they finished two points behind Manchester City. Goals from midfield could be a crucial factor in a team's season and how far they go, Coutinho surely provides that in abundance. And he does it better than most in the world.
#1 (Shouldn't) Liverpool have evolved since he left
There may be a reason why Liverpool have not replaced Philippe Coutinho. Yes, his contributions were key, but the team has grown without him. The acquisition of Fabinho was a smart one, as he has become the best defensive midfielder at Anfield since Javier Mascherano. Along with the advancement of roles for the likes of Georgino Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson, the midfield cover Liverpool have at the moment is pretty good, to be honest.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is back for the Reds and he will be like a new signing for Jürgen Klopp after a year out, meaning Coutinho is not a priority at all. Now, Liverpool operates like a perfectly-oiled machine without him, as all three midfielders share the responsibility of the dirty work in the middle of the park as they feed the ball to the attackers. If Coutinho were to come back, the shape of the midfield would force the workload on the remaining two midfielders.
The Reds have found the perfect balance in their team and there is no way that Philippe Coutinho would be a regular starter for them anymore. While his quality is undeniable, one thing we have learned from Liverpool's evolution under Jürgen Klopp is that they operate as a team and do not rely on individuals anymore. This incredible team spirit and mentality has won them the Champions League and has surely kept them motivated for this coming season ahead.
The Reds will challenge for major honors again this season, whether or not they re-sign Philippe Coutinho. Do you think the Brazilian should return to Anfield?
