Why Coutinho should be given a second chance at Barcelona
Heavily linked with a return to the Premier League in the summer, Philippe Coutinho's career at Barcelona is seemingly drawing to a close regardless of Bayern Munich's decision on his loan deal.
The perennial German champions splashed out £11m to bring in the Brazilian playmaker on a season-long loan last summer but are now reluctant to make it permanent and are set to send Coutinho back to the Camp Nou at the end of the season.
Eight goals and six assists in 22 Bundesliga appearances have been deemed insufficient by the high-flying Bavarians which will probably see Coutinho heading back to Barcelona once the season is over.
However, the Catalans have already made it clear that the 27-year-old has no place in their plans for the next season as they intend to cash in on the Brazilian to fund their summer spending campaign.
According to rumors, Coutinho could serve as a makeweight in a deal to bring Neymar back to Catalonia, with the Paris Saint-Germain star topping Barca's wishlist.
In the meantime, Manchester United and Chelsea have both inquired about Coutinho's availability, as they look to bolster their respective squads ahead of the new campaign. Liverpool are also lurking in the shadows, studying the prospect of re-signing their former fan favorite if the opportunity presents itself.
So, even though his career entered a downturn since he left Anfield, Coutinho still has a host of admirers across Europe and will not find it hard to secure himself another lucrative contract when he leaves Barcelona.
But, the reigning La Liga holders have a few good reasons to reconsider giving the Brazilian a second chance to repay the huge money they spent to take him away from the Merseyside two years ago.
Money matters
After applying constant pressure on Liverpool for almost two years to sanction Coutinho's move, Barcelona finally managed to get the deal over the line in January 2018, and it cost them approximately £142million.
Two years later and the Brazilian's market value has decreased to £100million (according to various reports in England), which, now means the Catalans are about to lose almost a third of what they paid to take him to La Liga if they opt for a sale in the summer.
What's more, the coronavirus pandemic has already inflicted a severe economic blow on European football, and Barca is not an exception - they are suffering too. Indeed, in order to palliate the damage, the Catalans have already opened talks with the first team to discuss wages being cut down to the proximity of 70% as long as the lockdown in Spain remains in force.
With the exact proportion of the damage caused by the ongoing coronavirus crisis yet to be fully grasped, Barcelona may want to reconsider Coutinho's future, given the fact they could face a prospect of losing a substantial amount of their original investment in the worst possible moment.
He is an absolutely a world-class player
Coutinho is an absolute beast at his peak, and for a player of his caliber, it takes just a bit of confidence to reawaken his brilliance. Even though he genuinely struggled to impress upon his big-money arrival from Liverpool, the former Vasco da Gama youth academy-product has shown flashes of his class at both Barcelona and Bayern.
For those who may have forgotten what Coutinho is capable of when he enjoys his game - take a look at his match-winning performance against Werder Bremen. Two delightful assists to set up Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller and a hat-trick in Bayern's 6-1 thumping of Werder righteously earned the Brazilian the Player-of-the-Match award.
So, that's what the ex-Inter Milan outcast can produce at his best. It only takes a bit of enticement to spark his tremendous talent, and he has done enough to deserve the benefit of the doubt. Coutinho is a versatile player, able to cover multiple positions higher up the pitch, but he can also operate as an advanced midfielder and rotate with Arthur Melo, Arturo Vidal, and Ivan Rakitic (if they all stay put beyond the summer).
In fact, Coutinho's ambition to prove that he has not become a washout and that he still has plenty to offer to football could come as a major boost to his efforts to accomplish what he failed to do during his previous spell at the club.
Setien likes him
Quique Setien is said to be a big admirer of Coutinho's qualities and would like to give him a second chance in Catalonia if he manages to survive his first season at the Nou Camp. As per several reports across Europe, the Spaniard is assessing the possibility of reintegrating the Brazilian playmaker into the Barcelona set-up, as his attributes perfectly fit into Setien's tactics.
The Catalans have selected the 61-year-old manager because of his philosophy that relies on short passes and a patient build-up, and Coutinho has a lot to contribute to that system. His movements of the ball, quick-thinking, and pinpoint passing can give Barcelona's attack a new dimension, but the 27-year-old has something extra to offer.
Setien's men have been quite predictable this campaign, often relying on Lionel Messi to determine the outcome of the game, with the vast majority of his and Barca's goals coming from inside the penalty area. Known for his outrageous efforts from the long range , Coutinho can provide Barca with goals from outside the box, which is something they rarely managed to produce this season.
Therefore, Coutinho is a gamble worth taking, especially if he is outfitted with trust and support he so desperately lacked during his first stint at the Camp Nou.
Rejection sends the wrong message
If Barcelona end up offloading Coutinho in the summer after giving him virtually no chance to showcase his quality, many big-name players will be deterred from joining them, knowing they could face the same fate if they fail to perform from the very beginning.
Let's not forget that the Catalans chased the Brazilian for almost two years before managing to persuade Liverpool to renounce his services. They did the same thing with Antoine Griezmann, whose future at the Camp Nou is also hanging by a thread.
Every top player pays attention to how they are perceived in the world of football, and if Barcelona start giving the impression that they can't guarantee time and patience to their employees, they may have problems luring new stars in the future.
If a player who boasts such an admirable reputation as Coutinho did before landing at the Camp Nou can be easily cast away after struggling to develop an understanding with Messi and Co. swiftly, what kind of treatment can other players expect?