Chelsea have more to think about than goals and assists when signing a player. Philippe Coutinho ticks all the boxes for the Blues.
Rumours of Philippe Coutinho joining Chelsea have heated up in recent weeks, causing much debate within the fanbase. Rather than a one-directional approach, let’s look at his suitability to the club on three important parameters: footballing, marketing and trolling.
1. Footballing: First things first
Throwing around goals and assists data to make the case against Philippe Coutinho not being a special player is the same level of clownery as pointing out Eden Hazard’s Champions League goals to state he isn’t a world-class player. Coutinho, like Hazard, is a player whose brilliance can only be truly appreciated by watching him play an entire match.
Coutinho was Liverpool’s star man from the moment he arrived till his unsatisfactory departure. His close control allowed him to effortlessly glide past opponents and reach positions where he could feed his teammates with certain goals or score worldies from any range himself. Add in that he is a set-piece specialist, and you begin to understand why Barcelona wanted him so desperately.
While the fee was undoubtedly inflated, Coutinho’s crime at the Catalan club was that he wasn’t Neymar. Not many players are.
Albeit some inconsistently, he put in some great performances in Spain and Germany, proving that he can hang with the best. He has improved certain aspects of his game, such as the timing of his runs in the box, that he previously lacked. It was just that no manager tried to tweak his system to bring out the best in the Brazilian, something conveniently left out by his naysayers.
Look at Chelsea’s squad: Willian’s and Pedro’s inevitable departures in the summer will leave the squad with just Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi as the club’s sole natural wingers. Even if new signing Hakim Ziyech is deployed as a wide playmaker, Chelsea will need another winger for depth, as the 2019/20 season proved that injuries are unpredictable and unavoidable.
Coutinho is at the prime of his career and would hugely improve the Blues’ attacking strength. He has the creativity and tools to destroy low blocks, something Chelsea has struggled with this season. He would be a great option to hold up the play on the wings like Hazard once did, or slot centrally to provide a more creative outlet to Mason Mount.
While an outright deal would be unadvised, especially in the negative economic climate of the near future, the mooted loan deal with an option to buy has Marina Granovskaia written all over it. Granovskaia is one the shrewdest negotiators in world football and could conceivably finalize a deal similar to Mateo Kovacic’s: lowest risk, highest reward.
From a footballing perspective, Coutinho ticks every box for Chelsea.