New Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman expressed his wish to keep Philippe Coutinho at Barcelona, according to Mundo Deportivo. Since his move to Spain in 2018, the Brazilian has been a shadow of his former self. The 28-year-old spent the last season on loan at Bayern Munich.
Koeman Offers Coutinho Barcelona Lifeline
Coutinho a Key Player for Barcelona?
It has not been smooth sailing for the Coutinho since moving from Liverpool. The Brazilian struggled under Ernesto Valverde and had to spend the last season on loan at Bayern Munich.
New manager Ronald Koeman is looking to bring Coutinho back into the first-team, however. The former Dutch manager is already familiar with the Brazilian from his time in the Premier League.
The 28-year-old will be returning to Barcelona following the end of his loan spell at Bayern.
Coutinho’s Barcelona Story So Far
Coutinho originally moved to Barcelona in 2018 as the third most expensive player in the history of football. The Brazilian international signed a deal until 2023 with Barcelona after an impressive five-year spell with Liverpool.
The 28-year old had an impressive start to life in Barcelona, too, scoring ten goals in all competitions as Barcelona won the La Liga and Copa del Rey.
Things started going down hill for the Brazilian in the next season, though, as he failed to reproduce his best and struggled under Ernesto Valverde.
The start of the last season saw the attacking midfielder moving out on loan to Bayern Munich. Coutinho was in and out of the first-team for some time before cementing his place in the squad following some standout moments. The Brazilian played a crucial role as Bayern won their second treble. Ironically, Coutinho scored twice as Bayern humiliated Barcelona 8-2 en route to their Champions League title.
A New Look Midfield for Barcelona Next Season?
It is going to be the end of an era at Barcelona. The big names like Arturo Vidal, Sergio Busquets, and Luis Suarez are all expected to move out of the Nou Camp this summer.
The likes of Miralem Pjanić, Frenkie De Jong and Philippe Coutinho are all likely to form the Barcelona midfield for the upcoming season.
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