Paul Robinson believes Tottenham Hotspur could sign Philippe Coutinho this summer after Bayern Munich pulled out of negotiations.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former player suggested Coutinho would be “a great signing for Spurs” given his experience at the top levels of the game.
He has spent the past season on loan at the Allianz Arena but Karl-Heinz Rummenigge recently announced the Bundesliga club do not intend to sign him permanently.
Sources previously told the outlet his parent club Barcelona are looking to offload the midfielder before the start of next season.
A number of Premier League clubs, including the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Everton, are also interested in the playmaker as Barca will accept offers at a significantly reduced price.
Robinson feels Spurs chairman Daniel Levy should try and take advantage of the situation, in light of the economic uncertainty surrounding the pandemic.
He told Football Insider: "The market will take a hit but there will still be movement of players.
"I can still see the Coutinho deal being done. Bayern have not taken the option and he has clearly not been part of Barcelona’s plans for a while now and I can see a move back to the Premier League happening.
"I think he would be a great signing for Spurs. I do not think he has settled since leaving the country and he is clearly a player that suits the Premier League. The league is stronger with him in it, certainly."
Although Coutinho has struggled to find the form that earned him Liverpool's Player of the Year in 2015, it is difficult to disagree with the pundit here.
After arriving at the Nou Camp for £142m in 2018, the 27-year-old has made 76 appearances for the Blaugrana, scoring 21 goals and creating 11 assists in all competitions.
He has won La Liga twice with the Spanish giants, but was forced to make way for Antoine Griezmann.
The Brazil international has shown flashes of his overall brilliance at Bayern Munich, registering 8 goals and 6 assists in the Bundesliga this season, taking 2.6 shots per game, making 1.4 key passes, and completing 1.5 dribbles on average. He has been awarded a solid statistical rating of 7.29 via WhoScored at the time of writing.
While it is fair to say he hasn't hit the same heights he enjoyed with the Reds, the £50.4m-valued ace would certainly be an upgrade on Jose Mourinho's midfield options at present.
Indeed, the club's record signing Tanguy Ndombele has largely failed to live up to expectations so far, receiving a low overall rating of 6.9 per WhoScored. Similarly, Giovani Lo Celso is rated at 6.65 according to WhoScored.
As it stands, Coutinho could provide Mourinho with the experience he needs to challenge for silverware next season, as well as acting as a mentor on-and-off the pitch for the likes of Ndombele and Lo Celso.
Tottenham fans, do you think Daniel Levy should sign Philippe Coutinho in the summer? Let us know down below!