What goes up must come down and sitting in the afterglow of finally signing Virgil van Dijk from Southampton and seeing the big defender head home in the winner in the Merseyside Derby on Friday, Liverpool has sent us crashing back to the ground by confirming that another transfer saga is coming to a close with Philippe Coutinho set to join Barcelona in a move that could potentially be worth up to £142mil.
“It is no secret that Philippe has wanted this move to happen since July, when Barcelona first made their interest known,” said Reds boss Jurgen Klopp, speaking to the club’s official website. “I can tell the Liverpool supporters that we, as a club, have done everything within our means to convince Philippe that remaining part of LFC was as attractive as moving to Spain, but he is 100 per cent certain his future – and that of his family – belongs at Barcelona,” added the German manager. “It is his dream and I am now convinced there is nothing left at our disposal to change his mind.”
Having signed a new contract without a release clause last season, the club was in a powerful position to keep the 25-year old despite the fact that he handed in a transfer request when Barca made their interest official. That, of course, is a tactic that could only work for so long.
Top of La Liga and sitting six points ahead of closest chasers Atletico Madird, the Brazilian looks en-route to securing his first major trophy of what’s sure to be a successful spell in Spain though he is cup tied and unable to compete in the Champions League with the Catalonians handed a tricky Round of 16 tie with old foes Chelsea.
In a classy gesture and in an attempt to get ahead of the fume, the club is offering supporters who bought a 2017-18 shirt with Coutinho’s name and number printed on it a £50 voucher once the move is completed.
On a side note, we won’t be posting pictures of Coutinho in a Barca shirt when he’s presented at the Nou Camp and dragging this whole thing on forever and ever and ever. We’re not saddos.
