Barcelona are set to offer Liverpool a player + cash deal to get their hands on Philippe Coutinho. The Catalan club are willing to offer Rafinha to replace the Brazilian at Liverpool.
Don Balon have reported that the La Liga club wants Coutinho to join them in the summer as they need to bring in reinforcements seeing that the likes of Andres Iniesta could call it a day soon.
Coutinho, for his part, has become one of the best players at Liverpool and even in an injury-hit season, he has scored 11 times and has provided six assists for the Reds.
Liverpool aren’t willing to let Coutinho go without a fight and are holding out for close to €90 million as they look to keep the Brazilian at the club. The Reds couldn’t deal with Luis Suarez leaving Anfield a few years ago and has gone out to become one of the leading players in Europe.
Barcelona have been keeping tabs on Coutinho for over a year and the Brazilian also seems to be interested in a move to the Catalan side.
The Kop Times Verdict
Rafinha, for his part, can play in a number of positions in attack and midfield and has scored six times and provided a couple of assists in the La Liga season for the Catalans. The 24-year-old is someone who is known for his energy and defensive contribution as well, something that Jurgen Klopp could use for the Reds.
However, Coutinho is a much better player and provides a lot more to his side than Rafinha does. The Liverpool star has gone on from strength to strength in his years at Anfield. Coutinho is a little inconsistent but the factor of playing for Barcelona would certainly be tough for anyone to turn down.
Liverpool have to hold onto Coutinho ahead of next season as without the Brazilian on the side, the attack does look extremely lightweight. The Reds qualifying for the Champions League could play a huge factor in him staying at the club.
Should the Reds miss out on the top four once again, Coutinho would be contemplating his future at the club, that’s a certainty.
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