(Coutinho smiles in new Barcelona colours as he seals his long-awaited move, or it could be the fact he doesn’t have to play with the likes of Jordan Henderson and Dejan Lovren anymore)
One of my first articles for SoccerSouls was about a talented little Brazilian with dazzling skills and a very large price tag attached to his name, the £198 million man in question is now PSG starlet and former Barcelona man Neymar. 5 months on and it seems that fellow Countryman Phillipe Coutinho has followed suit with Coutinho finally sealing his “dream” move from Liverpool to Barcelona in another £142million mega-deal.
Coutinho was linked to a transfer to the Catalan side in the 2017 Summer transfer Window with Liverpool rejecting an initial £72million bid and a staggering £90million bid for the 25-year old who cost the Reds a measly £8.5million, but Klopp dug his heels in and as the summer transfer window slammed shut Coutinho remained firmly in the Premier League.
Since making his debut in 2013 the Brazilian’s stock has dramatically risen, with his flair, pace and tricky feet Coutinho became a household name and a much-loved figure among the Anfield Faithful during his fruitful 4 years in Liverpool, but Reds fans always knew that his eye-catching performances would draw the unwanted attention of European Super giants with PSG, Real Madrid and Barcelona all long-term admirers of the former Inter Milan “reject.”
Klopp and the Liverpool Transfer committee should be commended for holding onto the versatile Brazilian for so long and commended even further for managing to get the best out of Phillipe after his proposed move was blocked. Despite Mohammed Salah stealing most of the headlines this season “Little Phil” managed to net 7 goals and a further 6 assists, and while by no means he has not been the main man this season Coutinho has proved his worth with his ability to play out wide, just behind the striker or even as a centre-midfielder making him almost unplayable at times over the last few seasons.
With the arrival of Mohammed Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and the forthcoming signing of RB Leipzig Star Naby Keita (signing for £48 million on a pre-contract agreement) there is a wealth of attacking players at Klopp’s disposal, so there is not really the insurmountable pressure to be “Liverpool’s main man” this campaign. Coutinho will be heading to a Barcelona side almost in as much red hot form as he is sitting comfortably in 1st place a full 9 points ahead of 2nd place Atletico Mardid, and a further 16 points ahead of bitter rivals Real Madrid with Zidane’s men sitting in a lowly 4th.
(While the days of the “Fab Four” are over the “Terrific Three” need to pick up the mantle once more and perform in a life without the Brazilian Magician)
Coutinho has been the long-term replacement for an ageing Andres Iniesta who at 33 years old may now be looking to life after football who while making 14 appearances this season is not at the height of his powers that made him so revered by opposition defences, Coutinho would in actuality fall into that centre-midfield role in a revitalised 4-2-3-1 formation once again putting emphasis on the Barcelona midfield that made them so revered in the early 2000’s.
Yet Coutinho’s arrival could spark Croatian Midfielder Ivan Rakitic to leave the Camp Nou, and one of his potential suitors could be Liverpool who also look set to lose Emre Can in the Summer to Juventus on a free transfer, Rakitic obviously isn’t impressed with Barcelona’s latest acquisition hitting out of the high price. Yet don’t fret Barcelona fans Rakitic is as much as an admirer of Coutinho as the club are stating in Early December 2017 ” “Every good player is welcome. So we have to say the doors are open for every good player – and Coutinho is a good player!”
While Coutinho has been a long-term target for Barcelona the fans will have to wait a while longer to see him play with the attacker injured for 3 weeks with a thigh injury, and ineligible to play in the Champions League this season due to his exploits with Liverpool in their first Champions League venture since the 2014/15 season. The little magician that graced Anfield will now switch from Number 11 to one of the vacant numbers of 7, 16, 24 and interestingly even the coveted Number 14 shirt at Barcelona, a number previously donned by one such Johan Cruyff; yet it is more likely that Coutinho will don the Number 7 this season.
His fantastic free kicks, speed and dazzling skills will be long in the memory of the Anfield faithful with Liverpool hoping they won’t have to play against their former man anytime soon, and probably won’t be resigning him in the foreseeable future with the Brazilian under contract until 2023 with a £400million buyout clause. Barcelona next face 14th placed Celta Vigo in La Liga in a matchup that could see them undoubtedly Champions-elect if results go their way.
What will life be like now for Coutinho-less Liverpool? Well it seems is seriously savvy business for Klopp’s men allowing them to reacquire the funds they splashed on the long-awaited arrival of Summer Transfer target defender Virgil Van Djik’s fee for £75 million now seemingly paid back with interest; and like his namesake in which he shares with Virgil Tracey from hit TV show “Thunderbirds” the Dutch International came to the rescue in a FA Cup clash against local rivals Everton nodding one home late into the game a mere 10 days after signing!
With a cool £67 million left to play with the Reds are monitoring a number of players including West Ham’s Manuel Lanzini, highly sought after Thomas Lemar from Monaco and even Leicester City winger Riyad Mahrez with a deal for the latter reportedly close; yet these rumours have been quelled by Liverpool themselves as they are looking ahead to their next fixture against the sheer unrelenting force of Pep’s Manchester City a tough match by any circumstance especially now without such a great player like Coutinho!
(Much of Transfer funds have gone into repaying the £75 million transfer of Virgil Van Dijk from Southampton a much-needed addition in a defence who at times looked about as watertight as a colander)
Coutinho is no doubt a long-term investment for Barcelona, his £142million is not a drop in the water by any means even for a super-club like Barcelona and Coutinho will have to live up to the pressure of being the most expensive player in Barcelona’s history. But if he can handle the pressure as fellow countryman Neymar is doing the little magician will have no need to fret at all. While his time at Anfield is over, a new era begins for Liverpool. Gone are the questionable transfer decisions of manager’s past, Liverpool now drive a hard bargain and are investing in problem areas such as the defence. A new dawn is upon Anfield, and upon Jurgen Klopp, it seems to be a bright and fruitful one.
Why George Evans can help Derby County challenge for Premier League promotion
As per Sky Sports, Derby County completed the signing of George Evans from Championship rivals Reading. Evans, who started as a Manchester City trainee, signed a three-year deal at Pride Park.
Derby manager Frank Lampard has been busy strengthening the Rams squad this summer, bringing in a lot of fresh faces to make his squad capable of challenging for the Championship title. The likes of Jack Marriott and Florian Jozefzoon have joined Derby on permanent deals while Harry Wilson and Mason Mount have also arrived on season-long loans.
George Evans, a defensive midfielder by trade, is expected to bring more energy and bite to Derby’s midfield in the upcoming season.
Evans, 23, rose through the academy at Manchester City, signing for the Cityzens at the age of just six. He made just one appearance for Man City’s first-team before leaving for Reading on a permanent basis in 2016. However, at City, he enjoyed three loan spells to the third tier, representing Crewe Alexandra, Scunthorpe United and Walsall.
The former England Under-19 international was a key player for Jaap Stam in the 2016/17 campaign as Reading were beaten in the playoff finals. Evans made 33 appearances that season under Stam but had limited game time last campaign due to massive competition for places at the Madejski Stadium.
As Evans had entered the final year of his contract at Reading, the club decided to cash in on him this summer after he fell down the pecking order under Paul Clement.
As far as his style of play is concerned, Evans is a holding midfielder by trade and he will challenge the likes of Tom Huddlestone, Joe Ledley and George Thorne for a regular starting spot at Pride Park. He fits the bill of a young, dynamic, versatile and influential midfielder that Lampard would surely like. Due to Evans’ versatility, he can also play in central defence.
A player who can play in the midfield or in central defence, Evans could be a fantastic addition for the Rams. At the age of 23, Evans already has some decent experience under his belt at a higher level and had previously played with Lampard at Manchester City. A hungry, intelligent and energetic player with good passing ability, Evans would add some much-needed steel to Derby’s engine room.
Read more: This £11m goal machine could fire Leeds to the Championship title – Bielsa mustn’t stop his pursuit
Evans is young and is an exciting midfield prospect who has bags of potential in him. Under the guidance of Lampard, the 23-year-old can certainly develop rapidly and help the Rams challenge for Premier League promotion this term.
Announcements
Well done Dyche – Burnley have completed a very important move by securing 29-year-old’s future
Why Matt Lowton signing a new contract is a step in the right direction for Burnley
As per reports, Burnley full-back Matt Lowton has penned a new three-year contract, which keeps him at Turf Moor until 2021.
Lowton, 29, who was under contract until 2020, has been a mainstay in Burnley’s defence for the majority of the three years he has spent with the club since moving from Aston Villa.
The right-back made 26 Premier League appearances for the Turf Moor outfit last season and assisted 3 goals. But it wasn’t a plain sailing for Lowton this past season as he tackled injury problems that saw him spend nearly two months on the bench after recovering from a knee injury.
Matthew Lowton
Lowton, Sean Dyche’s undisputed first-choice right-back, lost his place following a knee injury in November and has had to bide his time, with Phil Bardsley taking his chance in the former Aston Villa man’s absence. But Bardsley picked up a hamstring problem in early February that gave Lowton a chance to return.
And once Lowton displaced Bardsley in the first-team, it was difficult to shake him off, as the right-back maintained his good form until the final week of the season. That patience and determination to fight until the final minute of every game has made Lowton an endearing figure amongst the Burnley fans.
In 2015, Lowton sprung a surprise when he decided to drop down to the Championship, swapping Aston Villa for Burnley. Since becoming a part of the Clarets’ army, the 29-year-old has established himself as one of the most important figures under the management of Dyche. Lowton may not be a star figure at Burnley or a regular headline maker but his essence at Turf Moor is clear to see.
Solid if not spectacular, Lowton has stuck to his guns at Turf Moor, regularly leading the team by an example. He was one of the crucial figures for Burnley back in the 2015-16 campaign, helping the club win the Football League Championship title and earn promotion to the Premier League.
Despite making 26 Premier League appearances, Lowton also played his part in guiding the Clarets to a record 7th-place finish in the top-flight which saw them earn a place in the Europa League.
It is tough to describe how important Lowton is to Dyche and Burnley, as the marauding right-back has been a positive influence over his teammates ever since he stepped into the club. The defender’s passion, commitment, energy and leadership qualities have made him a firm fan favourite at the Lancashire-based club.
Read more: 6ft 5in colossus could be the final piece of Sean Dyche’s outstanding Burnley line-up
The new three-year deal apparently comes as the board’s reward for Lowton’s top-notch attitude and professionalism that has seen him cross every hurdle that has come in his way so far. All in all, Burnley securing Lowton’s future is a move in the right direction.
Announcements
Why Chelsea and Man United must blindly complete this high-profile swap deal involving £66m duo
Why a swap deal involving Martial and Willian could work wonders for both Chelsea and Man United
There are murmurs of a possible swap deal involving Manchester United’s Anthony Martial and Chelsea star Willian in the summer. Martial, who has fallen out of favour at Manchester United under Mourinho, missed out on a place in France’s World Cup squad.
Willian, on the other hand, has worked with Mourinho before at Chelsea, and the Portuguese manager wants to reunite with the Brazilian. Mourinho is trying to raid his former employers again after signing Nemanja Matic from Chelsea last summer.
So, let’s assess the situations of the two players and see if a swap deal would work for all the parties involved.
The scenario
Martial
Manchester United had to shell out an initial £36m to sign Martial from Monaco in the summer of 2015. The Frenchman has managed to show his quality in patches at Old Trafford.
But he has struggled for game time under Mourinho, who restricted Martial to just 18 Premier League starts last season. However, the 22-year-old scored nine goals and set up five more in 30 league appearances in the 2017/18 campaign.
Martial often found himself down the pecking behind the likes of Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Alexis Sanchez last season, and a move away from United could help him to revive his career.
Willian
Willian also struggled for game time last season as he managed just 20 Premier League starts. The Brazilian winger has a fractious relationship with Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, who is close to heading out of Stamford Bridge.
Willian
Willian, who scored 6 goals and provided 8 assists in 36 league games in the 2017/18 campaign, would relish the prospect of reuniting with Mourinho at Old Trafford.
Moreover, joining Manchester United would give him the chance to feature in the Champions League next season as Chelsea missed out on a top-four finish last term. Mourinho is the one who brought Willian to England after signing him from Russian outfit Anzhi Makhachkala for £30m during his managerial stint at Chelsea.
The Verdict
It appears that both Willian and Martial are misfits at their respective clubs and a swap deal could prove to be good for all parties involved.
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