The end is near and the transfer doesn't look closer. Is the board really thinking that the signing of Semedo and Paulinho would be enough? We haven't seen much of alternatives either. So are they really thinking they can seal the deal or they don't care if they can't sign him and Barcelona will have to play the season with the squad they have now.
I hear they are looking at Naby Keita as an alternative. I like that option, he's a good player.
Guillem Balague @GuillemBalague
No matter what Catalan press, LFC insist on Coutinho: they not negotiating, no meetings, no conference calls, no putting a price. Not selling
we are not going to get Coutinho in this summer. LFC told before they are not selling and you can bet they will not sell come this Sep 01. next year is different question. unfortunately Barca board is adamant and try to show fans that they are trying. some unreliable Spanish media and Itk create rumour to satisfy the fan. but it is not happening. try to accept it and move on.
If Coutinho doesn't come to us this year, he might never has the chance again, because next year Barca will have a few more attractive options.
Yesterday Liverpool just beat Arsenal 4-0 without Coutinho. This means Liverpool can still have a successful season without him.
And Liverpool also know that that ridiculous price (150 mil) for Coutinho only happens this year. Barca will never offer that price again at any point in the future, not even 2/3 of that I believe.
That's why I still think we will have Coutinho this summer.
150 for coutinho is beyond ridicolous, hilarious for me is how few barca fan here are trying to justify this because "market is crazy", no, its not about that, its about pure desperation to keep up with real madrid, barca already overpaid for dembele, real did similar during pep's barca, with no real strategic plan, before that galacticos showed us how that is not working, now psg is showing us same in CL, I could understand purchasing suarez, best player by far in EPL, Coutinho is not even large improvment on old iniesta.
Spending around 380 m in one summer, is disgrace for football, i would honestly not enjoy watch that, dont say how barca always spended money, they did, but this is new level, psg level, lets keep that for state sponsored countrys, let barca to keep up some pride, if nobody comes, so be it, board will have to go and we can hope for a president with strategic plan
Liverpool were pulling this signing all summer to raise the transfer price.. I have no doubt they dont have a real problem in selling him but just wanted to squeeze us for more money because we are in a situation of pressure and there isnt much time left in the transfer window. They also know that we have to sign players and fast.. so why not get some more money out of it? U can critisize them but it is smart stratagey by the liverpool board and as usual a stupid mistake by our board of clowns.
And what should have our board done differently regarding Coutinho??? Lpool determines the price and not our board so you can either buy him for 120/130 +variables or not at all.
In general I agree with you but this is special summer with Neymar leaving. We never planned to spend that much before he left. I think our plan was to use around 100M on a WC midfielder (if we could get one) and 30-40M on RB which we did. Without Neymoney we wouldn't offer 150M for Coutinho (we probably wouldn't need too because market circumstances would still be "normal" and Liverpool wouldn't demand that much) and we also wouldn't buy Dembele with Neymar staying.