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When Philippe Coutinho moved to Barcelona from Liverpool in 2018, he was hailed as the successor to Andres Iniesta's throne. The Brazilian had long dreamed of a move to the Catalan club and finally secured a switch to the Camp Nou two years ago.
However, things have not gone according to plan. The 28-year old struggled to fit into then-manager Ernesto Valverde's system and was shipped out on loan to Bayern Munich last summer.
Although his loan with the Bundesliga champions has been extended till August, it seems unlikely that the Bavarians will sign him on a permanent deal. With a return to Barcelona on the cards, we look at five realistic destinations for Philippe Coutinho.
#5 Leicester City
One club that has been persistently linked with Philippe Coutinho is Leicester City. The Foxes' manager Brendan Rodgers knows the player well, having coached him at Liverpool. It was Rodgers who brought Coutinho to Liverpool from Inter Milan in 2013.
While it would be a surprising move, it would make sense. Their current attacking midfielder James Maddison has been linked with a move away. Manchester United and Manchester City have been admirers of the England international for some time now.
Coutinho would slot in seamlessly into that no.10 role, bringing creativity and quality into that role. However, the issue here is the finances involved. Leicester will surely have to break the bank to fund a move for the Brazilian, and then they would have to offer him astronomical wages as well.
Given the Foxes' astute transfer business over the years, the deal seems unlikely, to say the least.
#4 Arsenal
A club that could benefit from having someone like Coutinho's talent in the team. Arsenal have struggled for some time to create from the middle of the field. The Gunners depend on the likes of Granit Xhaka to find the forward pass from midfield. Xhaka is an excellent passer, but Arsenal could do with someone more creative.
Mesut Ozil used to be that player but is no longer a starter at the club. It seems that Arsenal are doing everything they can to let go of Ozil, but no club is willing to pay the wages that he has at the London-based club.
Coutinho, just like in Leicester's case, would add creativity to the attack. However, what he would also do is reduce the burden on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's shoulders of carrying the Gunners' frontline.
His arrival could also ease the pressure on Nicolas Pepe. Having said all that, Arsenal must sell Ozil to deal with Coutinho's wages.
Also Read: Chelsea transfer news: Inter Milan plotting moves for Olivier Giroud and Emerson
#3 Newcastle United
This one is a bit of a stretch. Much of Coutinho moving to Newcastle United will depend upon whether the £300 million takeover by a Saudi Arabia-led consortium takes place or not.
A lot has been made of the impending Newcastle United takeover and some top-class players have been linked as a result. Some names that have been mentioned are Kylian Mbappe, Gareth Bale and Kalidou Koulibaly.
If the controversial takeover does happen, the new owners are said to have highlighted Coutinho as a primary target.
Akin to how the Manchester City bought Robinho in 2008 the very day Abu Dhabi United Group took over the club, the Magpies would very much like to make the same impact with Coutinho.
#2 Tottenham Hotspur
Coutinho has been linked with Tottenham Hotspur for a while now. Jose Mourinho is said to be interested in the player and Spurs would like to do an initial loan deal with Barcelona.
Spurs have an abundance of midfielders. Currently, Mourinho seems to prefer Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko and Giovani Lo Celso in his midfield. However, he also has the likes of Tanguy Ndombele and Gedson Fernandes to call upon if needed.
If Coutinho does arrive, it will be interesting to see what Mourinho does with Dele Alli. The England international is highly-rated by the Portuguese and is out injured right now. However, there is no denying that Coutinho would undoubtedly improve the Spurs squad.
#1 Liverpool
The most unlikely option. Liverpool sold Coutinho to Barcelona for €142 million and funded moves for Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker with that money. The two have become vital players as Liverpool have stomped to Champions League and Premier League triumphs, while Coutinho has seen his dream move collapse.
A move for Coutinho would disbalance the Liverpool midfield. Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool midfielders are dynamic, disciplined players who are given specific roles to perform. Coutinho's unpredictability would disrupt that structure.
With Xherdan Shaqiri looking to leave, Liverpool are in the market for a forward. While Coutinho would be an easy target and has been linked with a move back, it doesn't seem possible as things stand.
Also Read: Chelsea Transfer News: Inter Milan reportedly plotting a move for N'Golo Kante
