With Barcelona desperate to sell, Philippe Coutinho’s representatives are eager to secure the Brazilian a Premier League return, but the problem is, nobody seems to want him.
i understands agent Kia Joorabchian and his team are doing all they can to persuade several English giants to give the world’s third most expensive player ever a shot at finally finding a home, but so far, there are no takers.
With crippling debts, Barcelona are desperate to sell. This was a player supposed to be the long-term successor to Andres Iniesta, but now Barca are even willing to take a substantial loss on Coutinho just to get him, and his wages, off the books.
Bruno Fernandes’ rapid acclimatisation to English football means Manchester United no longer need him. Coutinho does not fit the young, vibrant type that Chelsea are after, Arsenal would not be willing to take the risk on another enigmatic playmaker with Mesut Ozil already there, the Financial Fair Play cloud hanging over Manchester City will deter them from a mega-deal, while a return to Liverpool, a team who are ostensibly better post-Coutinho, is out of the question.
This season’s loan move to Bayern has not worked out as many thought it would, with Coutinho again, remarkably for a man of his ability, unwanted. That leaves a player, who has remained among the goals and assists, approaching his peak at 27, who cost £142m just two years ago, facing an uncertain future to say the least. Is he just a perfectly-shaped square peg in a sea of round holes?
In 2016-17, Coutinho had the world at his feet. He top-scored for Liverpool across all competitions, leading to him being awarded a lucrative new contract, seen as the focal point of what Jurgen Klopp was building an Anfield.
But when Barca came in for him, there was no going back. Even if it was becoming apparent that Klopp’s high-octane style of play did not suit the effervescent Brazilian, and fitting him into a front three of Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane was proving very difficult indeed, Liverpool did their utmost to keep Coutinho. The reluctant sale, however, turned out to be their gain, and Barca’s loss.
“We’ve been working for months on this,” Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu said upon Coutinho’s signing in January 2018. “Today, we are happy to announce that one of the stars of world football has arrived at Barcelona.”
Coutinho’s sumptuous passing seemed the perfect fit for Barca, but as had happened towards the end of his Liverpool stay, he found himself without a clearly defined role in the team.
Two league titles followed for Coutinho at Barca, but his role in the earning of those medals was minimal. There were highs – a goal in the 5-1 Clasico win over Real Madrid on the opening day of the 2018/19 season being one – but it soon became apparent Barca and the Brazilian were not a good fit.
Bayern offered an olive branch, and Coutinho moved to Bavaria on loan at the start of this season, with Barca unable to sell him permanently. The goals have flowed, the assists too, but Bayern, like Barca and Liverpool before them, are simply a better side without Coutinho in it.
Struggling down in seventh in December, with Coutinho starting week in, week out, Bayern have resurrected themselves in emphatic style to lead the Bundesliga by seven points, having won their last 10 games in a row in all competitions. Coutinho, through injury mainly, has played a bit-part role in Bayern’s turnaround.
It is not that he lacks talent or his output has suffered – he remains Bayern’s third top goalscorer this season – it is just his style of play does not fit. Again.
To say Coutinho, 28 next week, is at a crossroads in his career is an understatement. The days where the top teams relied on a cultured No 10 to create their openings are fading.
Liverpool move the ball from front to back with breathless ease, Bayern prefer the intelligence of Thomas Muller coming from deep, while even Barca are less tiki-taka, more top-heavy dynamism.
Coutinho represents an expensive risk most clubs, especially in the Premier League, cannot take. Despite his agent’s best efforts, Bayern will allow him to return to Spain, Real Madrid are not interested, with Paris Saint-Germain the only other superpower rich, and perhaps superfluous, enough to splash the cash, especially in the current climate.
A Saudi-back Newcastle could be an option, but is that befitting of a man once earmarked as the man to lead Barcelona into a new era of glory? At this rate, the north east may be this beleaguered wanderer’s only option.
