Chelsea has been strongly linked to Philippe Coutinho. The Blues do not need a luxury player like him, but reinforcements on the defensive end instead.
Chelsea has recently been linked to Philippe Coutinho. No one knows how credible this rumor is but the mere fact that the rumor exists is exactly the problem. Coutinho, for whatever quality he may bring to the team, is simply a luxury buy at best and a liability at worst.
Chelsea’s current transfer targets are virtually only attacking and they suggest that the club is only considering attacking options in the market. The Blues have enough attacking options for the coming season; they do not need more.
The same reason Edinson Cavani was a bad deal is part of the same reason Coutinho is. Coutinho would cost too much. He would disrupt the wage bill and there is nothing he offers the Blues that the club is in desperate need of or does not have already. Hakim Ziyech is counted as a Chelsea player when that is said.
The Blues need a striker. A striker is the only attacking player that Chelsea needs that would not be a redundant buy. Being able to bring in big names is a sign of one’s status as head coach but that is not what Chelsea needs.
We’ve already been discussed why Isco would be a waste of time and, for many of the same reasons, Coutinho is, too. Coutinho has no work rate. Yes, he is creative, but the Blues are not so in need of creativity that the club should be ready to sacrifice balance and work rate. With the ball at Coutinho’s feet, he can be magical, but what about when he does not have the ball?
Coutinho would likely feel too big to track back. He would be on high wages and it would create too much of a media storm if he is benched (even if he is not giving the manager what he wants). His transfer fee would mean that there would be pressure on him and Chelsea to placate the fans for spending so much money. He cannot prove he is worth his money from the bench.
It is a surprise that Frank Lampard’s Blues are not being heavily linked to defensive midfielders and center backs. The club is not being linked to players that the club actually needs. One would think that was how transfer rumors were supposed to work.
The 2019/20 season has already shown Chelsea’s defensive vulnerabilities. Chelsea scored five goals at Molineux but conceded two. They scored three at Carrow Road but conceded two. They scored four goals at Turf Moor but conceded two.
Turf Moor and Molineux are historically difficult places to go and Chelsea has scored many goals there. Chelsea will get goals but the defensive problems are glaring. Lampard needs defensive reinforcements more than he needs flashy, luxury attacking players who are also defensive liabilities. There is no room for Coutinho or the like in the squad.