COUTINHO FEE NOT ENOUGH IF KLOPP FALTERS

THE owners of Liverpool are venture capitalists, and everything has its price. For that reason, once the bidding reached a certain level, the transfer of Philippe Coutinho was always going to go through, whether in January or the summer.

Considering the player cost just £8.5million, to sell for £145m represents an incredible deal for Liverpool — yet the timing is open to debate.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are fourth, three points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham, but were those positions reversed by the end of the season, selling the club’s most creative player will be considered a contributory factor. In those circumstances, take at least £30m off the fee, more if longterm ramifications take effect.

Tottenham, returning home to the new White Hart Lane next season, are trying to cement a place in Europe’s elite. Having kept a Champions League berth for the first time this season, they are desperate to make it three in a row, not least because it could be key to keeping Harry Kane (above).

So these are high stakes. Liverpool have made a lot of money. Yet if selling Coutinho causes them to falter, gives Tottenham a leg up, and allows them to come home with European football and all their best players present, the decision to sell in January will have been flawed, no matter how many noughts are on the cheque.

OF THE 15 clubs who made seven or more changes for the FA Cup third round, only four won. There are an awful lot of ordinary players in Premier League reserve teams, it seems.