Why Tottenham Hotspur have dodged a bullet by not signing Philippe Coutinho
Transfer expert Duncan Castles recently weighed in on Philippe Coutinho’s links to Premier League clubs.
The Barcelona attacker didn’t have a great campaign with the Catalan giants in the previous season and has struggled to score goals regularly.
The 27-year-old was in better shape during the Copa America as he helped Brazil lift the trophy, however, Coutinho was interested in joining Tottenham (h/t Express).
Speaking on the Transfer Window Podcast, Castles claimed that Coutinho was offered to Spurs on loan as the Catalans wanted to sign Neymar.
However, Daniel Levy entered the picture and wanted to negotiate a cheaper deal (h/t Express):
“A deal was agreed by Barcelona for the loan fee and the wages of Coutinho.
“But Daniel Levy came back and said he wanted to negotiate that at a lower cost so Barca stepped back from the deal.”
Tottenham ended up signing Giovani Lo Celso and Ryan Sessegnon on transfer deadline day while Coutinho is still on the books of Barcelona.
The Catalans have till the end of August to ship the Brazilian out, however, Levy’s negotiations could have saved Tottenham from making a transfer blunder.
Tottenham get a better deal in the summer
Lo Celso was one of the best players in La Liga last season and landing him on a season-long loan is a great move for Spurs.
The Argentine even broke into the national team for the Copa America, and at 23, will improve further under a manager like Mauricio Pochettino.
The 23-year-old can play in an attacking role, similar to Coutinho, and he could be one of the smartest signings of the summer.
Coutinho, for his part, hasn’t been able to find a new home yet, and a return to the Premier League was no guarantee of him finding form.
The Brazilian was one of Liverpool’s best players during his time at Anfield, however, his consistency wasn’t always the greatest.
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Coutinho is 27 already and landing him on a loan deal did not guarantee Spurs getting the best out of him either.
Spurs also have the option to buy Lo Celso once his loan deal is done (h/t
Verdict
Levy might have tried to get a better deal for Spurs but being unable to land the Brazilian could be one of the best decisions taken in the summer.
Spurs have signed a player with more promise, and it will be interesting to see if Lo Celso delivers in the coming months.