5 Reasons why Manchester United should not sign Philippe Coutinho
The newspapers are ripe with rumours of ex-Liverpool star Phillippe Coutinho's potential move to Manchester United. The Brazilian had been on fire during his time at Liverpool, where he played for almost 5 seasons. Coutinho made 201 appearances and scored 54 goals during his time at Anfield. He was so influential that Barcelona came calling in the summer of the 2017/18 season, with the Brazilian making the highly anticipated move to the Camp Nou in January 2018.
Coutinho became the costliest midfielder in the world and was expected to lit up the Camp Nou upon his arrival. He did have a strong second half to the season, scoring 10 goals in 22 games. However, life has taken an unexpected turn for Coutinho this season at Barcelona.
He has scored just 9 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions so far this season, while he has completed the full 90 minutes in only 10 of those appearances. Coutinho has come on as a substitute 13 times as he has failed to seal a first-team place on a regular basis at Barcelona.
As such, reports are floating that the Brazilian is unsettled at the Camp Nou and is looking for a move in the summer to rediscover his career. Manchester United are also rumoured to be among his many suitors, however, the move might not be in the best interests of both parties. Here are 5 reasons why the Premier League giants should refrain from bringing Coutinho to Old Trafford.
#5 Might not suit Solskjaer's style of play
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has a fast fluid counter-attacking style of football that has brought immediate success on the pitch for Manchester United. The Norwegian wants his team to press and counter at speed to find the gaps in the opposition. While Coutinho is a fantastic attacking footballer, his effectiveness under Solskjaer's tactics will be questionable.
Solskjaer mostly opts for an attacking 4-3-3 or a 4-4-2. Coutinho has mostly played as the right attacking player or the attacking midfielder in the team, however, his lack of speed might be a constraint. Also, the Brazilian does not bring any new qualities to the team at the moment and as such, he might not appeal to the Norwegian.
However, things could change if Solskjaer is not offered a permanent managerial role next season by the Manchester United hierarchy.
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