Jamie Carragher has suggested that Liverpool should be open to making a deal to re-sign Philippe Coutinho this summer, if the opportunity emerges for the Reds to do a deal with Barcelona.
Coutinho left Liverpool for Barcelona in January 2018 for a reported fee of £142million, which made the Brazilian attacker the third most expensive player in history according to a report from BBC Sport, but he has failed to live up to the same form he showed for Jurgen Klopp’s side in Spain.
Carragher suggested that Liverpool should be prepared to consider making a move to re-sign the 26-year-old, if Barcelona were to offer them an opportunity to a deal for Coutinho this summer.
“I wouldn’t say I would be actively going to get him, but if there was a possibility of bringing Coutinho back for decent money, and Barca wanted to cut their losses a little bit because it hasn’t worked out, then I’d do that,” Carragher told the Liverpool Echo.
OPINION
The prospect of Liverpool electing to re-sign Coutinho from Barcelona is a very intriguing one. Coutinho has failed to replicate the excellent consistent form he showed for Liverpool under Klopp, since moving to Barcelona in January 2018. The Brazilian was given the freedom to create opportunities at Anfiled and was made one of Liverpool’s most crucial players by Klopp, but at Barcelona he has been given a secondary role of importance behind Lionel Messi. That means that the 26-year-old has had far less of an influence with the Spanish champions than he did in Liverpool, Coutinho has made 53 appearances for Barcelona this season and has contributed a reasonable return of 11 goals and five assists. However, despite that return the attacking midfielder has failed to convince Barcelona supporters fully and was even taken off in the Spanish sides 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final second leg at Anfield. Liverpool have performed vey well in the Brazilians absence, but if they were to re-sign him he would add an extra bit of quality to the Reds already very strong midfield.
