It would be a shrewd move.
Liverpool are in a difficult position because Philippe Coutinho wants to join Barcelona. They have rejected two bids, and Jurgen Klopp understandably doesn’t want to lose one of his best players.
Coutinho signed a new five-year contract back in January, so the club is under no obligation to sell him. Liverpool can stand firm, as Southampton have with Virgil van Dijk and RB Leipzig have with Naby Keita, or they can accept a fee north of £100m and make a massive profit on the player.
For some it’s an easy decision – Liverpool can’t afford to sell Coutinho this close to the end of the transfer market and after the season has already started. On the other hand, it could be argued that they should reluctantly accept a potentially massive transfer fee and allow an unhappy player to leave.
One of the main reasons cited for Liverpool retaining Coutinho is that they would not be able to find a suitable replacement so late in the window. Neymar’s transfer has left some clubs scrambling because Barcelona need reinforcements. However, in theory, the ripple effects of Neymar’s transfer to Paris-Saint Germain could work out well for Liverpool.
Imagine if they sold Coutinho for £120m and replaced him for around £40m. That would represent a very good piece of business, given the troubles they’ve experienced in this summer’s market, and the disappointment of losing Coutinho. It could very well happen, as PSG have reportedly put Julian Draxler up for sale, and he would be a perfect fit for Klopp’s side.
Draxler plays predominately on the left-side of an attacking three, like Coutinho, but is comfortable anywhere across the front-line. He is a dynamic, creative and athletic player. The German has excellent control, an eye for goal with a powerful shot and is a wonderful dribbler, capable of unlocking defences with through passes. Fast and strong with either foot, Draxler is also over 6ft and would be suited to the physical nature of the Premier League.
This assist by Draxler is still up there as one of the best I’ve ever seen.
— LFC Fans Corner (@LFCFansCorner) August 17, 2017
The German was something of a prodigy. Draxler broke through at Schalke when he was 17, becoming the fourth youngest player to feature in the Bundesliga. He has since become a regular in the German national team, and was captain when they won the Confederations Cup earlier this summer, winning the prize for player of the tournament.
Before the Barcelona speculation, it appeared that Klopp was planning on playing Coutinho in an advanced midfield role, rather than on the left of an attacking three as in previous seasons. The Brazilian would be tasked with unlocking defences and creating chances for Mo Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino. Draxler isn’t an identical replacement for Coutinho, but he is as comfortable playing in an attacking midfield position. When he was used in this role during the 2012/13 season, the German scored 10 goals in 30 appearances for Schalke. Last season was the first time Coutinho has scored more than 10 league goals in a campaign.
Draxler only joined PSG from Wolfsburg back in January, costing £30m. They now want to sell him, but that says more about the Qatari-owned club than it does the player. They’ve signed Neymar and are attempting to wrap up a deal for Kylian Mbappe. The squad needs to be trimmed and unfortunately for Draxler, he is one of a host of players that have been told they can find another club.
PSG’s willingness to allow the 23-year-old to leave could work out in Liverpool’s favour. They could sign a very talented player for a fee below his market value, in a period when transfer fees have lost all relevance with real life.
Obviously, Liverpool don’t want it to reach the stage where they have to replace Coutinho. They are adamant he will stay and have already rejected two bids for the player. However, if he was to leave, it wouldn’t be a disaster if they signed a suitable replacement like Draxler. In fact, it could end up being brilliant business if they sell one player for £120m and sign another of similar talent for £40m. Coutinho, as good as he is, isn’t on the same level as Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan’s departure to Barcelona in 2014 was a hammer blow to Liverpool’s ambitions, but inevitable given how well he had performed.
Suarez was clearly the best player in England. It could be argued that Coutinho wasn’t even Liverpool’s best player last season.
Like all transfers, how the club reacts will largely determine how the potential Coutinho transfer will be viewed as time passes. For example, Manchester United sold David Beckham and bought Cristiano Ronaldo in 2003 and this would end up being considered a great piece of business. Liverpool did well to sell Fernando Torres for £50m in 2011, but the benefits of the transfer fee were made instantly redundant when they wasted £35m on Andy Carroll. If Liverpool do sell Coutinho, it will only be considered a poor deal if they don’t adequately replace him.
Suarez was irreplaceable, but Draxler proves that Coutinho can potentially be replaced and Liverpool can pocket a tidy figure in the process.
