If you told Liverpool fans in 2018 that Philippe Coutinho would face the possibility of using Newcastle United as a career lifeline in 2021, there would have been mass confusion. For, the Brazilian shined so brightly in Merseyside.
It says a lot about a player when the anger is heightened upon their departure. And, for Coutinho, that was very much the case when he swapped Anfield for the Nou Camp. Yet, three years later, and his greatest highlight away from Liverpool has been beating Barcelona 8-2 whilst on-loan at Bayern Munich. If there was ever a player in need of a career resuscitation, it is Philippe Coutinho.
Newcastle United Can Offer Philippe Coutinho Most Unlikeliest of Lifelines
The Headline Transfer
Out of all the names linked to the recent ‘lottery winners’ in Newcastle United, Philippe Coutinho’s is the biggest. He could turn out to be the headline act, whilst also worryingly turning out to be the Magpies’ version of Robinho. It very much feels like a game of Fifa 22, without the frustration of glitches everywhere you look, seeing Coutinho linked with Newcastle. But, it is very much the reality that we live in, as confirmed by Christian Falk, of BILD.
Of course, it is still early days, and there is a lot on the to-do-list for the new Saudi owners to tick off in Tyneside – most notable, replacing Steve Bruce, whose sacking seems inevitable. Though, it doesn’t do any harm to jot down some likely names; names that need to be reborn, like Coutinho; players that clubs need to offload, again, like Coutinho. You look around the market, and the Brazilian is the perfect player to target. Barcelona need any money they can get, and they could certainly do without Coutinho, who, in turn, must be desperate for a move.
The former Liverpool star would tick all the boxes for a first big deal. It would make a statement of intent, whilst making a dramatic difference on the current squad.
Does Coutinho Have Better Things in Mind?
It’s all well and good if a club wants a player, but, the biggest question is, does the player want the club? Does Coutinho want to jump from a damaged, albeit still one of the biggest clubs in Barcelona, to currently 19th placed Newcastle United, who are managed by Steve Bruce? Yes, the project may be worth it, but the arrogant side of Coutinho, which almost everyone has, will be thinking of bigger and better things around Europe. The fact is, one big takeover doesn’t instantly make a club a European giant.
Likely available for a cut-price, there will be competition for Coutinho, and that’s where Newcastle and the new owners will likely face a reality check. Should they fail in their pursuit of the midfielder, it would hand the rest of England a needed glimmer of hope that Newcastle’s recent riches will not equal instant success. The Magpies hit the jackpot off the pitch, but, on it, there is plenty of work to do.
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