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Tottenham Hotspur: Darren Bent urges Spurs to “go all out” and sign “top player” Philippe Coutinho
Former Tottenham striker Darren Bent has urged the club to sign Barcelona star Philippe Coutinho this summer.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Bent believes Coutinho is “a superstar signing that Spurs need” and feels that he could make a huge difference for the club in the future.
The Brazilian has spent the season on loan at Bayern Munich but the club’s chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has made it clear that they do not plan to sign him permanently, which has opened the doors for the Lilywhites to make a move.
Football Insider recently revealed that the board are willing to sign him on loan with the option to buy and Barcelona have told Spurs he will cost £8m in the transfer market. Bent maintains that the playmaker is a risk worth taking, as a result of his performances in the past, and admits he would sign the Brazil international in an instant if given the chance.
The pundit told assistant editor Russell Edge: “You’re talking about a top, top player who knows the Premier League very, very well. It’s not like you’re taking a risk.”
“Coutinho’s a top player, he’s a superstar signing that Spurs need and even if it’s on loan, that’s the sort of superstar that they need to maybe encourage other superstars to come there.”
“For me, I’d go all out and pay that £8million, pay that and try and get him. £8million for a top player like him for a year? You take that risk because at the end, you never know, at the end of the year it might work out really, really well. He could transform Spurs into an absolute powerhouse of a team.”
He concluded “I wouldn’t even consider it – I’d just do it.”
It is difficult to disagree with Bent here, despite the fact Coutinho has struggled to hit the same heights he enjoyed at Liverpool.
After arriving at the Nou Camp from Anfield for £142m in 2018, the midfielder has made 76 appearances for the Blaugrana, scoring 21 goals and providing 11 assists in total. He has notably won La Liga twice with the Spanish giants, although he has had to make way for Antoine Griezmann once Quique Setien took charge.
Nevertheless, the 27-year-old has scored eight goals and provided six assists in the Bundesliga this season, taking 2.6 shots per game, making 1.4 key passes and completing 1.5 dribbles on average for the Bavarians.
While he has failed to recreate the form that saw him win Liverpool’s Player of the Year in 2015, the Brazil international is clearly a major upgrade on Spurs’ midfield options at present. Indeed, he has earned a solid WhoScored rating of 7.29, which is higher than the likes of Tanguy Ndombele, Harry Winks and Giovani Lo Celso.
Moreover, a player of Coutinho’s calibre is exactly what Mourinho has been seeking as the Lilywhites look to challenge for silverware next season. Available at a cut-price fee, his valuation is more than affordable and it would be an investment in an experienced player who can act as a mentor to some of the club’s youngsters.
Tottenham fans, do you think Daniel Levy should sign Philippe Coutinho in the summer? Let us know in the comments below!
