Philippe Coutinho's message regarding the transfer to Liverpool is clear – but the Reds do not offer any guarantee to an unsuitable Barcelona

The message of Philippe Coutinho's camp was clear as crystal.

Asked about Barcelona's potential return to the Premier League, Kia Joorabchian, Coutinho's agent, launched the forearm directly in front of the court of his client's former employer.

"It would be very difficult for Philippe to play for one of Liverpool's rivals because he has such affinity with Liverpool," said Joorabchian.

"His time there was fantastic."

The future of the Brazilian international has become a veritable saga in this summer transfer niche, despite the lack of obvious interest from a club, including Liverpool.

Coutinho, who left the club for the Barca in January 2018 for 142 million pounds, remains linked to the sides of Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and, of course, the Reds, none of the three having clearly indicated that they wanted to see the attacking midfielder. their ranks.

Joorabchian, speaking from talkSPORT, was determined to let his client know that his client would appreciate a move before the August 8th transfer deadline.

"Manchester United is a great club, I have players there and I have all the respect for them, but as far as Philippe is concerned, it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible," he said. -he declares.

"Like all great players at one point, you want to have a different experience in your career because your career is very short, but [his Anfield exit] There is no reflection on the fact that his heart and his affinities are very close to Liverpool.

"Obviously, he had to go back [to the Premier League]it would have to be Liverpool, but for now I think it would be difficult and it would be up to them to decide. "

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The idea that Coutinho's heart and affinities are very much related to Liverpool may seem true, but many still remember Brazilian international engineering and its release from Anfield to the winter 2018.

While his teammates were fighting Everton on Jan. 5, at a FA Cup showdown, Coutinho was overseeing a hotel while he was putting the finishing touches to his plan of action.

While Virgil van Dijk immediately became a hero against the fierce local rivals of the Reds, Coutinho was then photographed aboard a private plane, staging a glossy magazine shoot while his Liverpool career began. barely.

It was a charm offensive in Barcelona and a damage control exercise, set up by a stringed public relations team to minimize the wrath of a fanbase who had adored it for five years.

For some, these images remain faithful and many are remembering the saga of six months ago, when a transfer request had been filed on the eve of a new Premier League season.

For others, he is forgiven if he is not forgotten and many would not hesitate to welcome the prodigal son with open arms to Anfield.

While the Reds are embarking on the new season as champions of Europe, the question must be asked: do they need him?

Coutinho, a spellbinding brilliance, has not yet been replaced at Anfield – at least on equal terms – with the £ 50m Reds' blow to Nabil Fekir falling dramatically in the 11th hour of June.

Since then, the Reds have not failed to find a high-cost replacement able to withstand the creative burden of the last third. A number 10, in short.

Whether it 's a brain design, a happy accident or a powerful mix of both, Jurgen Klopp has tweaked things to make sure that the Reds have not suffered the loss of their most technically talented striker.

By contrast, Liverpool's rise is strong since Coutinho traded Merseyside against La Rambla more than 18 months ago.

Consecutive appearances in the Champions League final, a 97-point Premier League campaign and a sixth European Cup have all been in the history books since Coutinho became a Blaugrana.

Liverpool's tactical change now sees the refueling line coming from the backcourt, while the Reds' engine room is being given more manpower tasks for Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson to take over. 39, flourish widely.

The two defensemen's creative license allowed them to finish the campaign with a total of 23 badists, Alexander-Arnold winning the title for the greatest number in the history of the Premier League season with 12 defenders.

The absence of an obvious number 10 – a role that, according to Coutinho – would be his preferred position – means that the workload has been changed at Anfield. Alexander-Arnold and Robertson are in charge of loading the balls of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino more than the three-player midfielder.

Fans such as Fabinho, James Milner, Jordan Henderson and his teammates are invited to sweep, thwart attacks and give the ball to a devastating front that has scored 160 goals between them in the last two seasons.

This effectively means that the privileged role of the Brazilian international is redundant in a system perfectly suited to produce optimal results.

Essentially, he would have to adapt to survive with the Reds, with no certainty that he would dislodge Mane at the back of the first box.

Otherwise, Klopp should modify a powerful system and a winning formula to accommodate Coutinho. This is something that has its own inherent risks, despite the ability of the player to come.

Coutinho's ability to create moments of magic with very little means meant that there was sometimes too much confidence in him when the wind was turning in Liverpool.

"Which football player he is, and he will be such a good player for Barcelona, ​​but for us a few matches, like Tottenham, he has not always been in better shape," said Klopp shortly after the sale of the red # 10;

"It was kind of a solution for us to give him the ball, No. We do not have to look for that, it can make us more unpredictable if we do not do it."

Liverpool was forced to deal with this problem after its release and that's something they've perfectly mastered since the unwanted prospect of losing Coutinho was pushed in their direction.

In 2019, while Liverpool is firmly established as one of the best teams in the world, Coutinho's special talent is not sought in champions of Europe.

A potential return would simply add another rope to the bow for Liverpool 's impressive arsenal. But is it enough at such a high price?