Though the Liverpool fans in the Transfer Tavern were happy the club signed Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on deadline day, their failure to bring in either Thomas Lemar or Virgil van Dijk has seriously annoyed them.
Indeed, Fenway Sports Group are being lambasted by our resident Reds propping up the bar after Jurgen Klopp’s defence was not strengthened, so reports from Spain haven’t gone down well.
According to SPORT, sources close to FSG have told the publication that Philippe Coutinho WILL be sold to Barcelona after all. Only next summer.
The Brazilian international is understood to have been the subject of a number of failed bids from the Blaugrana and he also reportedly handed in a transfer request.
However, while it seems the 25-year-old will be sticking around on Merseyside this season, this report claims he’ll be allowed to join Luis Suarez at the Camp Nou after next summer’s World Cup in Russia.
They also claim those behind scenes at Anfield see Naby Keita – who will join Liverpool next summer – as the natural successor to Coutinho.
Yet to feature this season, the Liverpool fans in our bar aren’t quite sure just how well he’ll be received after he handed in a request to leave, thinking it could be rather awkward.
Landlord’s Verdict:
Keeping Coutinho is huge for Liverpool, though integrating him back into the first-team may be difficult.
Letting him go next summer is a smart idea and Keita’s arrival will partly help on that front but it will be interesting to see what happens between Coutinho and the fans.
Thoughts?
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