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What's the story?
Former Liverpool captain Phil Thompson has admitted that he would take Philippe Coutinho back to Anfield 'in a heartbeat' as he believes he could bring a new level of creativity to the Reds squad.
In case you didn't know
Coutinho, who moved to Barcelona in a £105 million move in January 2018, has endured a torrid season at Camp Nou and has been on the receiving end of harsh criticism for his inability to justify his price tag on the pitch.
In recent games, the Brazil international has been booed and jeered at by the Catalan faithful as the discontentment with his performances continues to intensify.
The Spanish champions are reportedly preparing to sell the playmaker this summer and use the funds to get reinforcements to strengthen the squad. Premier League outfit Chelsea have been reported to be interested in the 26-year-old, with owner Roman Abramovich having sanctioned a bid for his services.
The heart of the matter
Thompson believes Liverpool should provide Coutinho with an escape route from Barcelona, owing to the immense creativity that could be added to Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane's performances if the Brazilian was in the team.
Speaking to Sky Sports, the former Reds captain said, "I would take him back in a heartbeat, but it would have to be now. You don't want to leave it another 12 months, I think he still has the ability."
"He's suffered at Barcelona. We've seen him playing out wide on the left, but he's not Neymar. He likes to be in the middle where he can pull strings and is getting on the ball to hurt teams."
"He doesn't do that and he's not a left-winger and that's where he's playing at Barcelona; they don't love him like Liverpool loved him."
"He was that little bit clever, that creativity behind those front three that you could go to in games where you knew you were going to have the majority of the possession. He could open that door, he could score the goals that would get you the win."
What's next?
While Barcelona are next scheduled to face Valencia in the Copa del Rey final on May 25, Liverpool are preparing for the much-awaited Champions League final against Tottenham Hotspur on June 1.
