Reinvesting the Coutinho money: 5 areas that Liverpool need to address

It is official. Barcelona have agreed a £142m transfer deal for the transfer of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool and a medical is expected to be carried out on Monday.

This information comes as a blow to the Liverpool faithful who were still not over the match-winning goal scored by the new centre-back signing Virgil van Dijk in their FA Cup encounter against their Merseyside rivals.

A sale like that of Coutinho's could have a severe impact on the club performances. Liverpool had already experienced this once when they let go of Luis Suarez – the performances deteriorated and Brendan Rodgers, the then first-team manager, was relieved of his duties 15 months later. This sale could be even more catastrophic, considering that this has been done midway through the season.

Liverpool are still a work in progress, and it’s commendable that Jürgen Klopp has been able to get the best out of them – comfortably keeping them in the Top 4 race and helping them advance to the Champions League knockouts as group winners. However, this is where things could potentially go haywire as high-profile fixtures begin to increase.

It might make sense to hold on to the money and reinvest in summer, but considering that the Big Six of Premier League are all looking to make new additions and strengthen their squads, it becomes paramount to address the most basic of problems.

Considering that we live in a market of inflated prices, £142m may not mean a lot. But we still believe that the money should be enough for two or three smart signings that will severely boost the squad for the games and seasons to come. We take a look at the five areas that Liverpool need to address soon to successfully prepare for life without Coutinho.

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#1 Goalkeeper

It’s funny how no one still knows who deserves that #1 jersey. Simon Mignolet is a decent goalkeeper but hasn’t really made the step up over the last few years. A title-challenging club like Liverpool need a commanding figure between the sticks, and neither Mignolet nor Loris Karius have shown enough to be the first name on the sheet week in week out.

Liverpool have needed a goalkeeper, a permanent #1, for a long time now, and this looks like the perfect opportunity to sign one. With the World Cup looming around and players looking for continuous game time, there are quite a few options across European leagues that would benefit from a change in environment.

Kevin Trapp, the former #1 of PSG has endured a tough season, having been unable to displace Alphonse Areola from the first team. He would be looking for regular game time if he wants to be on the plane to Russia come this summer, and this could turn out to be a good signing for Liverpool for the next few years.

Other prospects that could be considered are Stoke City’s Jack Butland and Bayer Leverkusen’s Bernd Leno. However, both of them look difficult, with Stoke engaged in a relegation battle and Leverkusen in the race for a return to Champions League football.

#2 Centre-back

Jonny Evans is on the move this winter, but where?

Virgil van Dijk is a good signing, but he is not going to answer all the problems that Liverpool have in defence. He has all the potential to be a leader at the back but you need someone who can put that aggression upfront and make that defence line fearful for the opposition attackers. Besides, the £75m price tag is going to put enormous pressure on him, and you need someone who could take care of moments when he does have a minor slip-up. Unfortunately, Dejan Lovren and Ragnar Klavan are not the answers.

This is one suggestion that might attract a lot of ire from fans but former Manchester United defender Jonny Evans is someone who could help bolster that defence in the short term. West Brom are struggling and the rumours of Evans moving away from The Baggies have been strong since summer. With Man City and Arsenal also in the running for his signature, Liverpool would need to act fast and throw in a bid to entice him to join the Reds.

Other prospects include Watford’s Christian Kabasele and Atletico Madrid’s Jose Gimenez, though those transfer rumours seem to be over for now.

#3 Defensive/Central Midfielder

Naby Keita is 6 months away from becoming a Liverpool player.

Liverpool might soon suffer another blow as Juventus are growing confident of signing Emre Can for free, that would see the central midfielder leave Anfield in the summer. The Reds have already lined up Naby Keita for the next season, having agreed a deal with RB Leipzig earlier in the season.

But with squad depths proving crucial to competing across competitions, it would make sense for Liverpool to sign someone in this position now. This is a position where they could also sign someone who doesn't ply his trade in the Premier League yet - the six months of adaptation into the English culture will prove immense and would help in increasing competition for places in the starting 11, a headache any club would love to have.

They would love someone of the Xabi Alonso or the Javier Mascherano mould. It can be seen that Liverpool does miss their influence. They are now left with Jordan Henderson and James Milner, and they can surely use an upgrade.

Leon Goretzka is being touted as a potential signing, as he is still undecided on his immediate future. A lot of clubs are in the running for him, many of who are trying to sign him up for the next season. With Bayern looming for his signature, it would be difficult to get him to the Premier League in the near future.

#4 Winger

Liverpool v Leicester City - Premier League

Coutinho is a one-of-a-kind player. It will be almost impossible to get a like for like replacement and that is the reason why he commanded such a transfer fee.

With that said, the first thing Liverpool would probably look for is replacing their former forward/winger with a brand new one to light up the Anfield. Thomas Lemar and Riyad Mahrez are being touted as possible options, although neither look unlikely to make a move considering that both Monaco and Leicester would try and coup as much of the £142m as possible.

It would also be interesting to see if Klopp goes to his former club Borussia Dortmund to try and sign 19-year old winger Christian Pulisic.

#5 A striker

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There is an abundance of talent in that Liverpool forward line. Summer signing Mohamed Salah is in the form of his life - the African footballer of the year has already crossed 20 goals for the season, the joint-second fastest to reach 20 goals in a Liverpool shirt.

But let's not forget that the Fab Four had a short-lived stint. It's back to a front three now and Liverpool would try and make a statement by bringing in a world-class player. In a season that has seen three £100m+ signings, the odds are against them. But what if they offload another forward player who hasn’t been able to shine under Klopp (read Daniel Sturridge)? The prospects to sign a world class forward increases further and the possibilities become endless.

Could there be a chance Aubameyang gets reunited with Klopp? We live in an era where anything is possible in football.

Aubameyang + Klopp, now that would be interesting

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Who do you think Liverpool should sign? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.