Topic: Coutinho

[n00bert]

I sincerely hope that we have all the other deals lined up or damned near completion before  allowing him to move. The number was always going to get leaked and I don’t want us to he rinsed. Maybe the poster who said Lamar was scheduled in for a Medical on a Saturday was telling the truth and that was done before Coutinho leaving - hopefully for a few that isn’t eye watering.

[Motty]

I wouldn't worry, some of them thrive on hysteria.

I've noticed [emoji23]

[RobbieRedman]

No... their best offer was £82m plus add ons that were hugely unlikely.

Now we’ve got a pretty much guaranteed £142m....

That’s an enormous increase.

It was enormously under value, derisory offer. Nice spin though

[TheShanklyGates]

What's that got to do with it? I would say the only thing keeping him motivated is the World Cup. Once that's been and gone you left with a demotivated player sulking and his value running down. Would much rather have a player committed to the club than one whose head is somewhere else.

So sell him after the World Cup, not in the middle of the season.

[McSquared]

Not much point hanging onto a player who wants out. Just need to get in a decent replacement in this window

[Believe]

Fuck that. Hope he's shite. He won't be, but still.

He'll light up the Nou Camp.

It was always going to happen and I'm happy for him - we'll be ok, JK is the most important member of staff and if he's sanctioned the move there's a good reason - or three - why he's done so.

[DonkeyWan]

Utterly unarsed about this, ridiculous amount of money. An amazing bit of business and unless you're an oil club the way of the world.

Good player but not fit to wipe Suarez's boots, which is probably what he'll end up doing.

People raging about this whilst being utterly unaware of the hypocrisy of the situation when we've just done it to Southampton.

He didn't want to play for us so he can do one. The only really annoying thing is the timing point, and potential disruption to our season but long term don't think we'll skip a beat.

Now just chuck that £142 and put in a cheeky bid for De Gea

Coutinho is a fantastic player and has done great for Liverpool. I always viewed him as the equivalent of a Suarez. The timing is terrible and will unbalance and impact the side. It's sad because you really felt Klopp was building something special and losing a creative key like Coutinho will set the squad right back. Which is frustrating.

The flipside though is that Coutinho has been at Liverpool 5-6 seasons and won nothing. With the petrodollar clubs undermining the whole league winning anything is a massive chore. By going in the winter he is probably guaranteed a La Liga medal. He has played 200 games and scored 54 goals, as well as god knows how many assists. He has gone for a huge amount which helps soften the blow. Also, while he has clearly downed tools, he hasn't gone running to the media and played brilliantly for the half season extra LFC had him. I'm really sorry to see him go, but he has been great for Liverpool and while the timing is off I still wish him well for the future.

[Goalposts for Jumpers]

How much are those players going to cost now everyone knows we have 140m in the bank (especially as we won't see half of that!).

This is fucking ridiculous

[liverpool185]

You have to wonder how some of the drama queens in here get by in life [emoji23]

We have just sold our best player in the middle of the season, what do you expect people to do.

Comments like yours really fucking piss me off.

[TepidT2O]

Details of the deal form Sid Lowe

https://amp.theguardian.com/football/2018/jan/06/philippe-coutinho-join-barcelona-142m-deal-liverpool#click=https://t.co/HseS0jeKUk
...

Barcelona have agreed the signing of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool for a fee of £142m.

Barcelona expect the Brazil international to fly out in time to be at their match with Levante on Sunday afternoon. Coutinho did not join his Liverpool team-mates as they flew to Dubai on Saturday and has been adamant that he did not wish to play again for the Anfield club.

Transfer window January 2018 – every deal in Europe's top five leagues

Barcelona have put together a package worth a basic fee of £105m, plus a further £35m in variables of which £26m should be easily met. After the £105m basic, an additional £17m would be payable for the first 100 games Coutinho plays for Barcelona, £4.4m per 25 games. A further £4.4m would be paid for Champions League qualification in the first two seasons with a £4.4m bonus for winning the competition. Coutinho has agreed a five and a-half year deal worth £12.1m a season.


Liverpool had refused to countenance a sale in the summer, going so far as to release a statement insisting that he would not depart, and Barça’s private confidence that they would back down proved to be unfounded, even though did not finally give up until the last day of the market. After the window closed, the club’s sporting director, Albert Soler, publicly claimed that at the last minute Liverpool had offered to sell for £177m but that they had that refused to meet such figure as an act of financial responsibility. That claim was met with a denial from Anfield.

Barcelona had not given up on Coutinho but there was an internal debate about the extent to which they could afford to meet a fee which they believed would be in the region of £124m. Some on the board feared that not only was the fee high, having spent over £88m of the £196m they had received for Neymar on Ousame Dembélé, it might also deny opportunities to squad members such as Denis Suárez. While there was little doubt that mid- to long-term, he was a priority, Coutinho will also be unable to play in the Champions League this season.

Coutinho remained determined to depart and Liverpool’s posture had changed. That shift became apparent in the public remarks from Anfield, as well as the private information Barcelona had, as they worked with the Brazilian’s camp. Liverpool team-mates had soon come to assume that he was going to leave. Last night, members of the Barcelona squad believed that Coutinho will join them.

[BobPaisley3]

Not much point hanging onto a player who wants out. Just need to get in a decent replacement in this window

Hopefully this is already in place. Going to be harder negotiating now, hopefully a replacement has been sounded out and will be announced soon.

[lfcdave]

Hi antics have been frankly shameful, as many have already said.

At least Suarez got on with it for a year and then got his move.

[Gegenpresser]

Not especially bothered by this. We won’t get a like-for-like replacement, but I think a different type of player can add a lot more balance and solidity to our midfield and improve us more overall. Short term, Lallana gives us enough creativity in the middle to keep Salah and Mane firing.

[Igor Tripod Biscan]

How will we ever replace Keegan
How will we ever replace Kenny
How will we ever replace Rush
How will we ever replace God
How will we ever replace Owen
How will we ever replace Torres
How will we ever replace Suarez
How will we ever replace ad infinitum

exceptions aside and lack of championships accepted...he's a magnificent player and was ours for a good while and hopefully we manage to rely on better team play, solid defending, creative and game controlling midfield and up your arse mental crazy forwards rather than a 'little magician'....lets enjoy Salah, Mane, Bobby, Milner, while we can...

[mattD]

You're still harping on about the transfer committee?

The club's moved on, we've got a new manager who is working very well with Edwards, who in turn is delivering the manager's targets.

I'll admit that recent history within the last 9 years of the club is a major burden when things like this happen. I still get the fear with the current personnel because of the screw ups of the past, and I will admit that the fear is in me at the moment in that I do feel it is vital we replace Coutinho as soon as possible.

Too many times we've sold a marquee player and then suffered a major setback in performances (Alonso and Suarez for example). To do so in mid season just makes this even more risky and it's hard not to get a fear of de ja vu. I will echo those who have trust in Klopp - I wouldn't want another manager in charge to deal with such a situation and I think that will mitigate circumstances to some extent. But he needs all the support he can get, and I hope we have a comprehensive plan in the months since the summer (when it looked like it was a matter of when, not if, Coutinho would leave) that we can implement.

[rocco]

No... their best offer was £82m plus add ons that were hugely unlikely.

Now we’ve got a pretty much guaranteed £142m....

That’s an enormous increase.

We would have never sold at that price mate

[Trendisnotdestiny]

What few are talking about is how much risk we just unloaded.

1.  Potential dressing room drama of Phil going or staying
2.  Serious Injury Risk reducing his value
3.  Purchasing him for 8.5million pounds and selling him for 142mil
4.  Phil decides to take more drastic measures
5.  Transfer early in the window - possible to bring someone in to replace

LFC risk gained?

1.  EPL & ECL games upcoming and Coutinho is a difference maker (always going to have this risk)
     --- hard case to make (a manager who believes its better to counterpress to form offense than a world class #10)
     --- maybe there is a fall off in form playing against teams to sit in

2.  Picking Coutinho's successor --- has to be spot on

Different types of risk....

[Crosby Nick]

Please beat Porto and play them next.

[Bolrick]

You know what.....we can throw $20M at arsenal for sanchez and we might get him.

[Yesitsanextender]

Another player will take his place and we will be fine...when suarez left we all thought that nobody could be as creairve in his free kicks and plays...then countinho steps up! It’ll happen again and again

[Purple Red]

Over £130 million profit for a player who doesn't want to be at the club. Can't really ask for much more than that. Regardless of today's market it's the most we could have got and I'm delighted he will be able to realise his ambition of playing against Las Palmas while watching the Champions League on the telly.

Utter bedwettery from RAWK as to be expected. Unsurprisingly I barely recognise half the crying bastards posting in this thread. Some outrageous stuff as well. From knowing we haven't lined up a replacement to having a working knowledge of FSG's business plan, new levels of unsubstantiated hysteria.

Do us all a favour and open your blinkered eyes for a change. We're sitting in fourth, we're in the knockouts of the CL and we've just consigned the Blueshite to 23 years without trophies. If you don't believe in our squad like our manager does and think we can't cope with a pursuing Spurs and Arsenal - maybe you should consider a different competitive sport to follow.

Bye bye Phil - thanks for the memories and the cash.

[jillcwhomever]

So sell him after the World Cup, not in the middle of the season.

I would say we tried to do that, let's just see what the club says.

[FranklyRed]

If only he had a contract that stopped him moving......

Contracts do not mean that much in football when a player wants to leave....
We/Virgil did the same ...

[Tooter]

Just what is it about South Americans and they way they go about their business? Mascher, Suarez and now Cout.

Bunch of c*nts.

[rawcusk8]

Can someone post that crying Dawson Creek gif for me please.

[End Product]

The two big questions are why not wait till July?
Why has no replacement been sorted?  (Keita is in Germany)

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

Good lord the drama queens in this thread.

"The club needs a set of bollocks!"
"We're a selling club!"
"We're a laughing stock!"
"If only we were more like City, but not entirely!"
"I'm done!"

We just got the 2nd highest transfer fee for a player who didn't want to be here and may have feigned an injury to show how sulky he was about it. And I do not understand the complaint of "We always sell our best players!" Who have we sold in the last 5 years besides Suarez? Serious question, because posters are making it sound like every transfer window, we sell our best players. If anything, we have a tendency to overpay, but you know what? Business is business. We knew this was coming and we stood our ground when Barca tried to bully us into a shit price. If anyone needs to grow a set, it's a section of the fan base who react like stroppy children.

 

 

[alvaro]

Only logic for me would be he is already looking to next season. That only works if we sign those players this month. Fact we haven't already signed his replacement is what really rankles. Barca have bullied us again.

He is clearly thinking about the club future but if we don't finish in the top 4 it will definitely backfire. We are only 3 points ahead of Spurs and they have a pretty talented team. It's going to be a struggle but if we manage it then we will be even stronger than this season.

[Kenny's Jacket]

Thanks for the good times and helping to get us back to where we want to be. An excellent servant to the club. The last few months off the field - we will forget them hopefully. It’s just the bad side of the football business and we need to be grown ups.

This season hes spent about 7 weeks on strike. In those 7 weeks hes picked up about a £1,000,000 in wages.  Yeah lets with him all the best.

[Kekule]

Conflicted about this. On one hand it all got very tedious, and him being "injured" during the last two windows leaves a bad taste, you don't really want that knocking about the club and being a pain in the arse to the manager. On the other I don't think people who behave like that should get what they want, that's in life in general, why should you be rewarded for being a pain in the arse?  Ideally I'd send him to fucking Inverness Caledonian Thistle or somewhere as that's what his attitude deserves. Unfortunately they've not got 140 million quid though.

Hope it's nothing like he expects, he hates every moment,  Messi and co don't take to him and make his life a misery.  Bitter of me I know.

As for us, I agree with others. We're in better shape to cope without one of our better players than we have been for years, we're no longer a one man band. We've also got the man in charge who I trust more than anyone in recent times to either cope without him and/or reinvest any money we get astutely.

[Sevens and Eights]

Don't be so fucking ridiculous, this fucker tried to sabotage our season one day before the start of the new season, missing games for us while faking injuries only to turn up and play for Brazil, now he has kicked up another storm and has sabotaged our season by fucking off in the middle of it.

If he had any ounce of respect for this club and fans he would of done a deal to join in the summer not fuck off half way through.

Wishing him well... nah fucking do one with that bollocks.

THIS. I’m angry at the way it’s progressed. I get Couts wants to determin his life, how his family wants to be there, that he did stay here 5 years, but he signed a contract, then pulled stunts to force his exit. It had to have been a distruption for the team, and it hurts our second half of the season. Grand if we get the money talked about, but the money doesn’t play make in midfield, the money doesn’t snap the ball into the net. I can’t help but honestly feel as a fan, betrayed by his actions. I won’t miss that... but I WILL miss him in our midfield, at least until we find the proper replacement, or more importantly, his upgrade.
I will admit openly, I’m VERY bitter about this, more than Suarez, definitely more that sterling.

[Funky_Gibbons]

Contracts do not mean that much in football when a player wants to leave....
We/Virgil did the same ...

What can he do about it?

Southampton are a midtable selling club.

[Poet]

Far from elated about the news but this is the nature of modern football. Most footballers are mercenaries. It is rare to ever find a Gerrard or a Totti. It's even evident throughout society, when one sees something that attracts them, their head directs them towards it.

Phil could have become a legend at Anfield. He could have been one of the leaders of a golden generation. It was not to be. His head wasn't immersed in the beauty and greatness of our club at the time we needed it most. These are the times when men of glory are separated from the rest. Gerrard and Totti were glorious players. They epitomised the perfect player. A combination of loyalty, professionalism and class. They were not perfect and that's just the nature of human life. In footballing terms, they came close to perfection. Adored by their fans, respected amongst the professional community and even commended by supporters of our opposition.

There are some things which cannot be bought. Talent can be bought. Loyalty cannot.

I do not despise Phil. Hate is a potent word. Football is a game. People will get carried away and let emotions dictate their actions. Don't let these emotions stain your humanity. At the end of the day Phil's a human being with his own desires and flaws.

We witnessed magic in the form of sheer footballing brilliance. Goals that we will never forget. And a player that will be commended but not loved and adored by the majority of our fans.

So good luck Phil, may your dreams come true at your new club and thank you for your professionalism on the field.

[Paul JH]

Deals like this are why we'll never progress as a club in it's current state. It's bad enough to have the move dictated by a player but to accept a fee like that, where we may well only get 70-80 % of it, is at best an embarrassment and at worst, totally inept.

No it isn't.

[rushyman]

I went through my mourning process when he started playing well regularly and Barca weren't even in the picture.

It's just the way of things.

[Yesitsanextender]

Who will we be after then lads? I dont get the lamar link myself.. see marhez as a mich more suitable like for like replacement

[keano7]

Please beat Porto and play them next.

Written in the stars. Shame he can’t play in it.

[FranklyRed]

Just what is it about South Americans and they way they go about their business? Mascher, Suarez and now Cout.

Bunch of c*nts.

But you are glad they played for us and also have good memories? 
Hope it does not stop us from signing South Americans in the future!!!

[Waka]

Klopp said it himself. He wasn’t gonna go through another 4 weeks of this particularly in the middle of the season. Another South American we give to Barca to feed the Messi machine. Selling him in January is tricky, we don’t make top 4 and there could be a backlash.

Though it never effects Klopp none too much.

[AndreTheMidget]

Over £130 million profit for a player who doesn't want to be at the club. Can't really ask for much more than that. Regardless of today's market it's the most we could have got and I'm delighted he will be able to realise his ambition of playing against Las Palmas while watching the Champions League on the telly.

Utter bedwettery from RAWK as to be expected. Unsurprisingly I barely recognise half the crying bastards posting in this thread. Some outrageous stuff as well. From knowing we haven't lined up a replacement to having a working knowledge of FSG's business plan, new levels of unsubstantiated hysteria.

Do us all a favour and open your blinkered eyes for a change. We're sitting in fourth, we're in the knockouts of the CL and we've just consigned the Blueshite to 23 years without trophies. If you don't believe in our squad like our manager does and think we can't cope with a pursuing Spurs and Arsenal - maybe you should consider a different competitive sport to follow.

Bye bye Phil - thanks for the memories and the cash.

This post is just totally bizarre. It's hardly "bedwettery" to be upset at the loss of one of the best players on the planet. And then you go on to boast as if 4th and the 2nd round of the CL is some sort of remarkable achievement, it's nice progress from recent years but we need to be reaching Barcelona's level, not selling them our best players and be like "this is great, we got a big fee and come 4th".

And it's not about Arsenal and Spurs, we should have eyes on City and Utd not the two nothing clubs from London.