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da brwin： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
Speaking on talkSPORT, Philippe Coutinho’s agent Kia Joorabchian has revealed that a potential return to Liverpool for his client this summer would be “difficult”.
What’s the word?
Reports in recent weeks had linked the Brazil international with a sensational return to Anfield amid claims that he was frustrated with his time at Barcelona.
Despite admitting that Coutinho still had a “great affinity” towards the Merseyside club, he claimed a move to Jurgen Klopp’s side wouldn’t be easy due to the strength of their squad.
He said: “It would be very difficult for Philippe to play for any of Liverpool’s rivals, because he has such a great affinity towards Liverpool.
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“The build-up they’ve done and the squad they have, it (signing Coutinho) would really have to be something they would have to decide whether or not they feel there is now a current gap in the squad for someone life Philippe.
“Obviously if he were to move back (to the Premier League), it would have to be Liverpool, but at the moment I think it would be difficult and it would be up to them.”
A bitter taste
Whilst Coutinho and Joorabchian appear to angle themselves for a move away from the Camp Nou this summer, a potential return to Liverpool should always have this caveat attached; the nature of the Brazilian’s Anfield exit.
His acrimonious departure left a bitter taste in the mouth of the Reds and quite frankly, Klopp’s side have moved on perhaps even swifter than anyone could have imagined. They ran Manchester City close in the Premier League title race, before lifting the Champions League for a sixth time last season.
Coutinho was undoubtedly loved on Merseyside; but the hostile reaction he received at Anfield during the Champions League semi-final second leg was a damning statement of the kind of esteem Liverpool fans now hold him in.
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Indeed, not only would it be a jarring move, there is a legitimate argument to be made that the 27-year-old would not even fit into Klopp’s plans. In their customary 4-3-3 set-up, the mesmeric front-line of Roberto Firmino, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane have nailed down their places.
When Coutinho was at Anfield, he predominantly played from off the left or as a more traditional number ten; indeed, in his final full season at the club, the Brazilian featured 26 times as a left winger out of his total 36 appearances, and would surely now find it difficult to displace the prolific Mane. And as we’ve written previously, the Barcelona star may not be the right fit at all deeper in midfield any longer either.
So whether it’s down to emotional or footballing reasons, Joorabchian’s verdict on Coutinho only returning to the Premier League to join Liverpool seems to have no logic behind it whatsoever.