WTF?!
This is wrong on so many levels! Absolutely horrible deal for both clubs and for the player also. We are now officially the club of morons.
First, this could very easy be a BS rumour leaked by the club or Coutinho's agent.
Second, we are talking about a hefty loan fee (20-30M) and not a free loan in this case. How would this be a bad deal for us or Coutinho? IF no club is willing to pay around 100M (which is 99% the case) other options we have are:
1. sell him for 50-60M (there are probably some clubs willing to pay that much because he's still a good player "in his best years") and make a big loss which the club doesn't want to do.
2. keep him, not get anything and pay his wages.
If everything goes well with this loan we could potentially get rid off him permanently next summer for more than what we would get now but if he stays here and has another bad season his value will drop more and we'll have even bigger problems to sell him next year.
From the player's perspective Cou would also get a chance for a fresh start at his new club and show what he can do. I don't think he has lost hunger for football (like Arda for example) or forgot how to play so maybe a new environment is all he needs.