Liverpool eyeing shock Philippe Coutinho reunion but face major competition
According to Goal Brazil (h/t Liverpool Echo), Liverpool are interested in bringing Barcelona star Philippe Coutinho back to Anfield.
Philippe Coutinho developed himself into a top Premier League midfielder during his Liverpool days. The Brazilian was a key player for Jurgen Klopp and played a decisive role for the Reds on a regular basis. However, the 29-year-old couldn’t turn down a lucrative offer from Barcelona when they came calling in 2018.
Coutinho’s move to Barcelona hasn’t gone down well. The Brazilian has struggled to find consistency and has failed to adapt to the Spanish team’s system. The 29-year-old was loaned to Bayern Munich after a spell of unimpressive performances and ironically went on to win the Champions League, defeating Barcelona en route to the trophy.
Coutinho has lost his place in Xavi’s team this season. The Spaniard has favoured youngster players over the Brazilian, pushing him down the pecking order. The 29-year-old has only managed 16 appearances in the campaign across all competitions. However, he hasn’t played a single 90-min game in La Liga.
Coutinho’s lack of game time is pushing him towards a Barcelona exit. It seems that the Brazilian star is favouring a return to the Premier League. If the news is accurate, the 29-year-old wouldn’t face difficulty finding his new home as Liverpool, Everton and Aston Villa are all kept a tab on his situation. However, no club has made a formal approach yet.
Liverpool are in dire need of fresh reinforcements thanks to injuries and Covid complications. Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho recently made their comeback from Covid isolation. However, the Spaniard is still sidelined due to injury. On the other hand, Naby Keita has already left for Cameron to participate in the African Cup of Nations.
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The way Coutinho chose to leave the club in 2018 left a bad taste in Liverpool fans’ hearts. Academy graduates and available stars can fulfil Liverpool’s short term need, but looking at the long term picture Jurgen Klopp requires fresh blood in his midfield rather than an out of favour 29-year-old. Therefore, a return of the Brazilian seems improbable.
