Philippe Coutinho Barcelona Player

[MalBot]

Lately their transfer policy doesn't make sense. It just seems too random. If they buy Griezmann for over 100m history could repeat itself.

 

[PedroMendez]

He is better than he currently looks like. He is also the opposite of what barca need, at least when they play him as winger. He is static and dwells on the ball, while they'd need someone with good movement off the balls, who runs into channels and is dynamic. Just look at the copa del rey final lineup: back4 + busquets, Rakitic, Arthur, Cou and Sergi Roberto (with Messi as false #9). That is remarkably one-paced and predictable. Barca improved when Vidal (!) came on for Arthur and frequently ended up as CF. Thats the story of Barca and Coutinho this year. Valverde can't start him on the wing with Messi on the pitch and without any dynamic midfielder. They need to put him in midfield instead of one of the CMs (a role where he has a lot to prove as well, but thats a different story) or bench him. He might start as winger, but only for a team with different tactics/players.
Nothing of that takes away from his individual failure to show any desire and motivation. Its fair to question his character/professionalism, because he should have tried a lot harder. He is not a 100m player, but he showed during the worldcup and at times at Liverpool, that he can be very good.

 

[The Boogeyman]

Coutinho was thought of as a very good player, but he didnt really start to take that step into world class territory until his last half season at Liverpool. He had 12 goals and 8 assists in 19 combined champions league and premier league appearances as Barcelona were trying to negotiate a transfer for him.

He very much looked world class during that stretch. However, it was also pretty obvious that their offense was flowing through him as a CAM in a way that it wouldn't at Barcelona.

He's worth big money to a club that wants to use him like Liverpool were at the end there. Maybe not 100 million pounds, but easily 75 or 80.
As mentioned by others already, Barcelona just panicked and bought the biggest stars they could to replace Neymar, not considering fit.

As a Liverpool fan, I don't blame him for wanting to go to Barcelona, as playing for a Spanish giant is the dream for every South American kid. And I don't even really blame him for forcing the transfer as that's the only way Liverpool were going to sell him. However, the paths both clubs have taken should not be a huge surprise to him.

There was a clear confidence that fall within the club that they were on the verge of big things, and he was the centerpiece of the attack, even with Salah starting to put up big numbers. Even when he was sold, fans weren't as upset as they were when Suarez left.

And even though Barcelona has not done as well as most would've accepted, it was already pretty clear with the Neymar fiasco and Dembele's slow start that all was not well there. And with Messi there, Coutinho should've known he was going there to play a supporting role. I do feel sorry for him, and I'm not delighting in his struggles, but I do wonder what he was expecting to happen when he made the switch.

 

[crossy1686]

Lately their transfer policy doesn't make sense. It just seems too random. If they buy Griezmann for over 100m history could repeat itself.

Their recruitment has been poor for a while now when it comes to big spending anyway. Just shows that having the money to spend doesn't mean you're smart about it. Same applies to United.

 

[Kaglish10]

The one thing that I don't understand about Coutinho is why he plays when Dembélé is fit. Dembélé is in general a far bigger threat and he matches it with better outputs. I don't understand why Valverde insists on prioritizing Coutinho who is out of place in almost all the roles given to him in that Barcelona team.

Because Dembele is at his best on the right, which is already occupied by Messi.

 

[Hammondo]

One of many overrated luxury players.

 

[JPRouve]

Because Dembele is at his best on the right, which is already occupied by Messi.

Dembélé has no issue on the left and Coutinho is bad on the left and not a winger. So no, it has nothing to do with Dembélé being hypothetically better on the right.

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

Coutinho was bought for all the wrong reasons. Its not that he is a poor player. He was just the wrong player. Coutinho was first wrongly bought as Iniesta's replacement. Then after drowning in the role with his confidence shot they tried to turn him into 'the next neymar'. That coupled with his natural inconsistency has just precipitated disaster. Now even worse the barca fans are in his back and hate him

 

[roonster09]

Coutinho was bought for all the wrong reasons. Its not that he is a poor player. He was just the wrong player. Coutinho was first wrongly bought as Iniesta's replacement. Then after drowning in the role with his confidence shot they tried to turn him into 'the next neymar'. That coupled with his natural inconsistency has just precipitated disaster. Now even worse the barca fans are in his back and hate him

If he moves to PL, he will be back to his best again. Few players just look out of place at Barca and I'm talking about very good players and not just average ones. Sanchez, Fabgrgas all struggled playing for Barca and that was for much better team.

Only problem is, which team will take the risk and pay big money to sign him.

 

[Ooge_]

Barca is struggling with Dembélé and Coutinho and i think one of them has to leaf this summer. It will be Coutinho, because there lay more hopes in Dembélé. If i were Barca de Ligt would be my prior transfer at the moment. Then they should try to buy Sancho. Griezmann is not important. Messi has his role.

-------------Suarez----------Messi------------
Dembélé-------------------------------Sancho
------------de Jong----------Arthur-----------
Alba------Lenglet----------de Ligt----Roberto
-------------------ter Stegen------------------

 

[Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber]

If he moves to PL, he will be back to his best again. Few players just look out of place at Barca and I'm talking about very good players and not just average ones. Sanchez, Fabgrgas all struggled playing for Barca and that was for much better team.

Still for the exact same reasons Being purchased yet they weren't needed

Only problem is, which team will take the risk and pay big money to sign him.

Only Chelsea if their ban is differed. or Newcastle if they get moneyed The other big sides in England all don't need him. He'd be better off going to PSG, Bayern or Juve or a Milan club IMO.

 

[antihenry]

The problem is, they'll never be able to recover anywhere near the kind of money they paid for him. What club in their right mind would even entertain the idea of spending even something close to 100m, let alone more. What is his valuation in the current market, anyway? 60? 70?

According to this, his fee with add-ons is ridiculous.

https://www.thisisanfield.com/2018/...rom-philippe-coutinhos-transfer-to-barcelona/