Will Philippe Coutinho leave this summer?

[Oh Buoy]

Where's the Barca reps, Dave? 

[Unrighteous]

He'll be worth more next season

 

I don't think so.  

[G Richards]

He will go only if Klopp says so. If it happens above the manager's head he will leave, and that would be disastrous for FSG, so they won't do it. The immediate return on investment will look great, but the damage to the club will dwarf it on the other side. So it won't happen without Klopps say so.

 

Now, if Klopp feels the player is too sulky and it's damaging morale, he might sanction the deal. I'm not suggesting Coutinho is like that, but at the same time I'm not naive, and I would imagine that all modern footballers have it in them, given the right circumstances. I'm concerned about Coutinho's agent, the windfall that Barcelona have just received, as well as the usual reasons why they are a threat to us if they want to cherry pick our best players.

 

If Klopp were to sanction the deal you would have to think that it would only be because we close some very good deals on other players. For example, if we sign VVD, Keita and AOC, he might countenance letting Philippe go. And therein lies the problem. We already have money and we are struggling to spend it!

 

My best guess is Coutinho stays, but only for one more year. Mind you, if Barcelona are willing to pay £120M now, I'd be surprised if we will get that much next time around, due to the special windfall with the Neymar money. Could be £120M now or £80M next time around.

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

Watching as SSN and they say they've got breaking news about Coutinho coming up

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

£90.3m bid rejected according to Bascombe.

[Chip Butty]

Bascombe is a mongoloid 

[Harry Squatter]

They are 30m short for Liverpool to even consider selling

[Ne Moe Imya]

I'd tell Barca his price is £100m plus Asensio just to see the looks of confusion in their eyes.

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

They are 30m short for Liverpool Klopp to even consider selling

 

Fixed

[Harry Squatter]

Fixed

Good point

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

Good point

 

Also, after I posted it I realised Klopp probably doesn't have a 'price' as money this late in the window is no use to a transfer team that could be trusted to go to the shops for a pint of milk.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Watching as SSN and they say they've got breaking news about Coutinho coming up

Yesterday, SSN's scrolling bar said "Breaking News: Transfer Centre coming up"

 

They are trailing their own advertised programmes as Breaking News.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

I've just heard Phil Neville confidently state "The deal will happen".

 

I'm now convinced he's staying.

 

(I thought Craig Bellamy's comments were a bit more interesting.  Because Coutinho is clearly not a replacement for Neymar, he thinks it more likely that Barca will buy him next summer as a replacement for Iniesta.)

[El Rojo]

I've just heard Phil Neville confidently state "The deal will happen".

 

I'm now convinced he's staying.

 

(I thought Craig Bellamy's comments were a bit more interesting. Because Coutinho is clearly not a replacement for Neymar, he thinks it more likely that Barca will buy him next summer as a replacement for Iniesta.)

Hopefully Bellamy gave that view while biting Phil Neville's face.

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

I've just heard Phil Neville confidently state "The deal will happen".

 

I'm now convinced he's staying.

 

(I thought Craig Bellamy's comments were a bit more interesting.  Because Coutinho is clearly not a replacement for Neymar, he thinks it more likely that Barca will buy him next summer as a replacement for Iniesta.)

 

That'd do alright. Gives us time to sign Clint Dempsey.

[Jockey]

I do think this is slightly Ironic!

 

I'm not as down on FSG as others, not a fan, but I disagree with a few things thrown at them. But, this situation is quite ironic. Had they bought VVD, then I think Coutinho may well go if they bid near to £120m - because quite frankly that is good business. 

 

Which is quite funny - because they have fucked up, directly or indirectly and not signed anywhere near enough - they can't sell him, Carragher is right, it would cause a huge furor at the start of the season, that could turn nasty. Despite good 'business' being selling Coutinho for towards £120m they can't - we won't get that money next year, so because of their incompetence in the current window (up to this point), they have to keep him - despite this being a poor 'business' decision. Ironic really. 

 

For the record - I think Klopp is at fault for not signing any more players, but I think FSG are at fault for letting him make that decision - yet again, more weak leadership. 

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

For the record - I think Klopp is at fault for not signing any more players, but I think FSG are at fault for letting him make that decision - yet again, more weak leadership. 

 

[Arl arse]

I do think this is slightly Ironic!

 

I'm not as down on FSG as others, not a fan, but I disagree with a few things thrown at them. But, this situation is quite ironic. Had they bought VVD, then I think Coutinho may well go if they bid near to £120m - because quite frankly that is good business. 

 

Which is quite funny - because they have fucked up, directly or indirectly and not signed anywhere near enough - they can't sell him, Carragher is right, it would cause a huge furor at the start of the season, that could turn nasty. Despite good 'business' being selling Coutinho for towards £120m they can't - we won't get that money next year, so because of their incompetence in the current window (up to this point), they have to keep him - despite this being a poor 'business' decision. Ironic really. 

 

For the record - I think Klopp is at fault for not signing any more players, but I think FSG are at fault for letting him make that decision - yet again, more weak leadership.

 

Has someone hacked your account?

[Jockey]

 

Nah I need to explain.

 

I don't think for one minute that Klopp has gone to the 'committee' and said 'I want this player' and they have said no. I don't think for one minute that they have deliberately targeted players that they know won't sign. 

 

But, for some reason Klopp seems to think that other than VVD nobody is an improvement on Lovren, and other than Kieta, no midfielder can give us that extra depth/quality that we need. I don't see us not signing anyone (and I don't mean top class) as being FSG's fault alone, to me that is just as much Klopps decision. 

 

However - considering the focus since day has been on statistics and analysis of those stats - I don't understand how this year they have seeming ignored the stats on our defence and midfielders and allowed Klopp to go with intuition? 

 

Yes he is a coach who likes to improve players, but he has had this defence for almost two years and they still make the same mistakes, at what point do the committee say 'look Jurgen, we've tried that, it hasn't worked we need a bit of new blood, the stats haven't changed'. 

 

Ultimately this weak leadership on the owners part, but, i'm pretty confident that Klopp wasn't given the names of 5 players this year and, just the 5 - the focus on Keita and VVD has been Klopps decision. 

 

I'm not arsed - he is the manager, and my faith is in him, but I disagree with him thinking that other than VVD we can't improve. 

[Jockey]

Has someone hacked your account?

 

Why?

 

Perfectly reasonable post! It is good 'business' (note that I don't think business is necessarily a good reason for doing anything in football). But, they have no choice but to do the opposite to what they want because of their incompetence. 

[johnsusername]

You gotta have faith.

 

Actually, I don't have faith in any of them. I wouldn't trust them to repair a flat tyre on a bicycle. "We like the bicycle as it is - two wheels, good. We can work with this bike. Spare inner tubes - there's not many on the market."

 

Ironically I think we'll win a decent trophy this year.

[Jockey]

You gotta have faith.

 

Actually, I don't have faith in any of them. I wouldn't trust them to repair a flat tire on a bicycle. "We like the bicycle as it is - two wheels, good. We can work with this bike. Spare inner tubes - there's not many on the market."

 

Ironically I think we'll win a decent trophy this year.

 

That is a strange analogy - the bike is clearly broke! 

 

Asking whether they could improve their bike and whether or not a BMX would be better than a Grifter, and them saying 'no, I like the Grifter, I can work with this'. Would be better. 

 

Nobody, would look at a flat tyre and think 'I can work with that'. You would think. 

[Arl arse]

Why?

 

Perfectly reasonable post! It is good 'business' (note that I don't think business is necessarily a good reason for doing anything in football). But, they have no choice but to do the opposite to what they want because of their incompetence.

 

I agree with every word mate, that's why I thought your account had been hacked.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

You gotta have faith.

 

Actually, I don't have faith in any of them. I wouldn't trust them to repair a flat tyre on a bicycle. "We like the bicycle as it is - two wheels, good. We can work with this bike. Spare inner tubes - there's not many on the market."

 

Ironically I think we'll win a decent trophy this year.

 

 

That is a strange analogy - the bike is clearly broke! 

 

Asking whether they could improve their bike and whether or not a BMX would be better than a Grifter, and them saying 'no, I like the Grifter, I can work with this'. Would be better. 

 

Nobody, would look at a flat tyre and think 'I can work with that'. You would think. 

 

Lads, lads, they're both shit analogies.

 

It's like a pig that's chosen to wear glasses, and the frames are too big, but the lenses are just right.

[Jockey]

I agree with every word mate, that's why I thought your account had been hacked.

 

Haha - sorry!

 

I'm far from a 'supporter' i'm completely ambivalent about them! Some criticism I have agreed with, some I've thought fair, some, just doesn't make sense. 

 

That is all my argument has been! They deserve criticism for being incompetent and driven by stats, but I don't think for one minute they are 'asset stripping us'. 

 

I'm naive like that!