Barcelona superstar Philippe Coutinho has reportedly given the green light to make a return to Premier League giants Liverpool on-loan this summer.
According to a report by Italian outlet Calciomercato, Philippe Coutinho has given his seal of approval to move away from Barcelona on a temporary basis in this summer’s transfer window. Liverpool are in line to bring the Brazilian international back to Anfield, in what would be a two-year loan deal with an £88 million purchase option.
From being in dreamland to enduring a nightmarish 2018-19 season, it has been a mixed bag 18 months for Philippe Coutinho. With a paltry return of 11 goals and 5 assists in 54 appearances, the 27-year-old ended up becoming a liability for large parts of the season for Barcelona.
As a result, there has been a lot of uncertainty surrounding Coutinho’s future at Camp Nou, particularly with Barcelona linked with both Neymar and Antoine Griezmann. And, following the arrival of Griezmann last week, the former Liverpool superstar is on the edge at the Nou Camp.
PSG have been heavily linked with the Brazilian international, with reports suggesting that he could be a part of the deal that sees his compatriot Neymar return to Barcelona. But, Liverpool seem to have taken the lead in the race to sign Coutinho this summer.
The Reds boasted one of the most complete teams last season, when Jurgen Klopp got the chance to name his strongest lineup. But, to take one step closer to the elusive Premier League title certain positions need to be beefed up by the Liverpool boss; attack is one such area.
While the first-choice trio of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino have conquered everything in their paths, there is precious little beyond them in way of consistent backup. To that end, a move for Coutinho, whose return from Barcelona could help Klopp rotate his troops efficiently, makes sense for Liverpool.
The Merseyside club have thus, reportedly been weighing up the possibility of re-signing the player, who can potentially be a useful option in midfield as well. And, if claims by Calciomercato are anything to go by, Liverpool are one step closer to swooping Coutinho away from Barcelona.
The 27-year-old has reportedly given the thumbs up to prospect of returning to Liverpool, in what would be a two-year loan deal that will give the Reds an option to buy him for £88 million. This way it becomes a low-risk transfer for the Reds, who can judge his impact before taking a call over a permanent deal.
With Griezmann joining Barcelona, something had to give. If suggestions of a two-year loan deal are indeed true, it ought to benefit all parties involved, especially in the wake of a strong Copa America campaign for the player. Coutinho could thus, have a chance to resurrect his career at his old stomping ground and it remains to be seen if such a deal indeed sees the light of the day.
