Barcelona are reportedly ready to let Arda Turan join Liverpool as they attempt to secure a deal for Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho.
According to a report by Don Balon, Barcelona appear to be determined to sign long-time target Philippe Coutinho this summer and are also willing to part ways with Arda Turan for the same. The Catalonian giants have been trying to clinch a deal for Coutinho for a while now and believe that offering Turan as a sweetener is likely to help in that.
Turan signed for Barcelona from another big La Liga club Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2015. However, the deal did not go through as smoothly as one would expect since Turan had to wait till January 2016 to make his debut for Barcelona due to a transfer ban that had been imposed upon the club.
After making his debut, the attacking midfielder has endured a tough spell with Barcelona so far and has been struggling to clock regular playing minutes despite being quite efficient in controlling the ball and possessing strong dribbling skills.
The Turkish player joined the club having a deadly reputation as an attacking midfielder but he has simply been unable to carve out a spot for himself in the Barcelona squad and also struggled to fit into their system of play.
Hence, this deal can actually work in his favour since Liverpool will have an empty spot he can try to fill if Coutinho moves to Barcelona. Additionally, Jurgen Klopp’s side have been on the look-out for quality midfielders and Turan happens to be one. Klopp will also be relieved of the burden to find a replacement for the talented Coutinho.
Coutinho’s career, on the other hand, skyrocketed ever since he joined Liverpool from Inter Milan back in 2013. The 24-year-old has secured a spot for himself in Liverpool and established himself as an indispensable member of the squad. Gradually, he has gone on to become one of the best players in the Premier League.
The young Brazilian played 34 games across all competitions for the Reds last season, scoring 11 goals while also providing 8 assists. He has also become a regular in the Brazil national team and is rightly a highly sought-after player this transfer season.
Last season, Andres Iniesta was yet again one of the most influential players for Barcelona but age is catching up to him and a younger alternative is an issue that the club needs to address in the midfield.
Denis Suarez and Andre Gomes have been struggling to settle at Camp Nou, so Coutinho does seem like the best option for them, thus making it a win-win situation for both clubs if the deal does go through.
