Former Leeds United forward turned BBC commentator, Noel Whelan has urged Tottenham to make their move for Philippe Coutinho this summer because he still has something to offer.
Coutinho has struggled since he left Liverpool for Barcelona halfway through the 2017/2018 season.
The Brazilian has spent this season on loan at Bayern Munich but the Germans won’t take up the option of making his loan deal permanent and that has opened the door for another team to land him.
Barcelona is desperate to get him off their wage bill as they don’t believe he will be able to replicate the form that made them sign him from Liverpool.
The Catalans will look to offload the 27-year-old in the summer even if it’s on an initial loan deal, and Whelan believes that Spurs should look to sign the creative midfielder.
He claimed that no team has been able to get the best out of Coutinho since he left Liverpool, but he would still be a good signing for Spurs if they land him.
Whelan said in an interview with Football Insider: “There is a great deal to be had there on a fantastic player.
“No one has got the best out of him since he left Liverpool but there is a player there, a good creative player.
“If you can get that same ability that he had at Liverpool, you have a world-beater on your hands and you can get him for a very, very good price.
“It has got to be the right club. Tottenham, Arsenal or Chelsea would suit him down to the ground.
“People will take a chance on him because he has got an untold amount of ability.
“He looks very professional and I would want him in my team all day long because players like him are hard to come by.”
Fair point on the attacking option. He scores most of his goals as the attacking midfielder (which is what he is when playing as a 10). He needs to arrive late though in any formation and stay central. He is definitely not equipped to be an out an out striker or a deep lying midfielder. When he is marked MTM he has found it hard to break free. Other than score goals I see little else in him, so if this is what he is good at, embrace it. Coutinho is a very different option, would be great, it fee and wages are the problem (what a surprise).
Very good player but not a priority right now – must get RB and DM sorted first. After that we need a Kane backup / long term replacement – I would be all over Werner who could play on the LW (and cover for Kane as required). A front three of Werner-Kane-Son would be formidable.
Dele’s not at his best as a #10, imo. I’d like to see a 4321, with Dele & Son in front of LoCelso, Sissoko, and N’Dombele.
Agreed. The defence needs to be first priority. If only there had been some centre halves and right backs to discuss!
100% yes. I’d take him in a heartbeat. Proper footballer.
Can’t see it happening, because of the fee and wages, plus our problems aren’t up front they’re in midfield and defence.
It’s not the club that is important, it is the style of play. Whenever I have seen him for Bayern he has done well, they just do not spend big on players, so despite being the 4th richest club in the world they are relatively frugal. If Coutinho can fit into the Spurs team then great. He would be a totally different number 10 to Dele, but that could be a good plan B. He can also play deeper but then how to accommodate Lo Celso, Sissoko and Winks? I think it would be a good headache to have as we would have different options. All about Levy delivering and competing with other teams on wages.