Coutinho could still end up at Barca

DEPENDING on what you read and who you decide to listen to, Philippe Coutinho’s new five-year Liverpool contract either reflects the best of times or the worst of times.

Globally, the deal was widely celebrated across social media when the announcement was made.

“Great news to go to bed to…” noted one fan group from America’s western seaboard.

On Merseyside, however, the moment was met with some scepticism.

“A January signing at last…” was one observation. “That’s him off then,” claimed another.

Someone else was concerned that £150,000 (RM840,000) -a-week does not sound enough in today’s market before he was corrected by a spreadsheet-wielding statto, which supposedly revealed the wages of all the players in Barcelona’s first team squad.

Barcelona, of course, is the club that will take Coutinho away from Liverpool if history is repeated considering what happened in 2013-14 with Luis Suarez, who, like Coutinho, signed a fresh long-term agreement to stay at Anfield in the wintertime only to leave the following summer.

Unlike Suarez before him, indeed, Coutinho has never agitated for a move away – as Suarez did in the summer of 2013 when he wanted to go to Arsenal.

“Liverpool feels like my home,” Coutinho said earlier this season.

“I feel happy, settled and comfortable here with the city and the people.”

Ultimately, what has happened is this: Liverpool have strengthened their position and safeguarded themselves against losing Coutinho sooner than they might do otherwise.

The club, by now, should be fully aware of the tactics Barcelona use when they want someone. When Suarez went there, the deal was concluded after a procession of former Barcelona greats and people linked to the Nou Camp had started to talk publicly about the Uruguayan’s suitability – what a great signing he would be alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar.

In November, similar comments started to appear about the hypnotic skills of Coutinho. The Spanish newspaper, Sport yelled: “Objetivo Coutinho,” before Xavi took to the stand.

“Coutinho is a player I have always thought is special,” he revealed.

“There are not many players that can improve Barcelona, but if you are asking me if he is one of them, on this form, I think he is. Technically he is very good. He would suit Barcelona’s philosophy well.”

Rivaldo – Coutinho’s countryman – was next to the megaphone, “I think that this transfer might happen…” he said before leaving a rather fatalistic warning from a Liverpool perspective.

“…Barcelona is always going to attract the best, isn’t it?” – The Independent