Arsenal appear to be in the running for Barcelona's Philippe Coutinho. The winger/playmaker has had a mixed stay at Camp Nou. After 1,5 seasons there he was shipped out on loan to Bayern Munich who aren't too keen to make the deal permanent.
He certainly didn't live up to the expectations of replacing Andres Iniesta and with Barcelona ready for a fire-sale of their player to fund a squad rebuild, we won't be surprised to see the Brazilian leave Blaugrana.
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His agent, Kia Joorabchian, is a close friend of Edu and an open Arsenal fan. Arsenal are looking to replace the faded Ozil. Mikel Arteta looks keen on Philippe. What could possibly go wrong?
So we went ahead and profiled the Brazilian through the eyes of our fellow Liverpool and Barcelona editors. Strap in and hold on.
Barcelona editor Dimitru Palanchuk: "Philippe Coutinho is a player that needs the Premier League. The Brazilian is a great player but he simply doesn't fit in at Barcelona. He is neither a pure winger nor an insider, as they call it in Spain. He was supposed to replace Andres Iniesta but his profile just doesn't suit what the Catalans need in midfield."
"To say that the 27-year-old is a flop would be a crime. Right after his below-average 2018-19 season at Barca, he went to become one of the best players at the 2019 Copa America, leading Brazil to the much-desired trophy. He has also had a good season at Bayern Munich, scoring 9 goals and providing 8 assists. What do these two teams have in common? They both play with a 4-2-3-1 formation.
"This is the system that fits 'Phil' the best. Be it at Liverpool, Arsenal or last-placed Norwich City, Coutinho will give every other attacking midfield a run for their money as long as he is used correctly."
Liverpool editor Taha Memon: "Coutinho at Anfield was a master magician on the ball who could pretty much do anything on his day. We saw a boy arrive from Inter Milan and we saw a world-class beater leave the club in 2018. Sure, there are some inconsistencies in his game such as what he can offer while tracking back and his affinity to take too many shots at time, but overall, what a player.
"It did hurt me to see him leave for Barcelona, but I took no pleasure in watching him fail there. He's still only 27 years old - if utilised properly in the middle of the field behind the striker, I don't see why he cannot succeed at a big club. It's just a matter of his self-confidence and the manager's ability to bring the best out of the Brazilian, who is as good as creating plays as he is at finishing it.
"Would he be worth over £60m in the current market? I won't say so, but I will say this - Arsenal could make great use of him as Arteta seems like the kind of tough taskmaster who can bring Coutinho back to his peak. Although, I can't say that the thought of him at Gunners doesn't leave a bad taste in my mouth; I simply can't imagine him in any other Premier League team!"
Barcelona editor Margarita Khaymina: "Philippe Coutinho's Barcelona career was marred by two things: first, he clearly felt the weight of the €120m price tag; secondly, the coach used him wrongly.
"Originally, Coutinho was signed as Andres Iniesta's replacement. He was supposed to orchestrate the game from the midfield. However, after some games at this position, he was moved to the left wing to cover for Ousmane Dembele in a surprising twist. Coutinho thrives when playing as a second striker which became obvious during the title-winning Copa America tournament in 2019.
As a person, Coutinho appears to be loyal and humble. Even though he was often whistled at by the Barcelona fans, he thanked them after the turbulent 2018-2019 campaign. However, he may now suffer from a dip in confidence after his Barca and Bayern misfortunes.
"Rumour has it, Barca are trying to sell Coutinho for £100m. With all due respect, the Brazilian is only worth half of that sum at best. Still, the Brazilian could hit his best form if he finds a right club where he is used properly."
Liverpool editor Andrey Chegodaev: "Unless Philippe moves to Goodison Park or Old Trafford, I'll always welcome the Little Magician back to the Premier League. Whether he is someone Arsenal really need, is a different story.
"He is only 27, his passing skills and those trademark long shots are still there but the key thing is how you're going to use him.
"For me, he is that old-school type of an attack-minded player whose defensive game is not too good. Oh man, who am I trying to cheat, he is really poor in defence!
"Besides, his physique requires him to take those short breaks to restore breath after sprints every now and then, there is a strong chance he just wouldn't come to the rescue in case of a counter-attack.
"Honestly, it's mixed emotions for me. I would like to see him but I just don't think he is a Premier League kind of player. But Arteta knows better, doesn't he?"
Barcelona editor Mau Young: "Coutinho is a player that, pretty much like any other, has his strength and weaknesses. So I'll just go ahead and describe those.
Weaknesses:
- Phil is mentally weak: he wasn't criticised much at Barca before he broke down - nothing close to how much the likes of Ronaldo, Messi (for Argentina), Neymar and Suarez get scrutinised. Yet they stay strong and perform well.
- Coutinho doesn't thrive under pressure: it's a bit similar to the point above; we saw that at Barca. Might not suit a team like Barca or Madrid where players must deliver no matter what.
- He lacks pace and stamina - and thus might not thrive on the flank. Certainly not the modern type of winger we are used to seeing.
Strengths:
- Phil is very creative: he can come up with something almost from scratch.
- He's a decent goalscorer too: typically hits double figures for both goals and assists every season.
- Coutinho is good at setting the tempo of play: we saw that at Liverpool. He dictates play and brings out the best from his teammates.
Would you welcome Coutinho's addition to Arsenal? Let us know below or chip in via our blogging platform!
