Coutinho was supposed to be one of the world greats by now.
When Liverpool sold him to Barcelona, a Ballon d’Or clause was included, under the expectation those would be the heights he’d reach.
But three and a bit years on from his enormous sale, Coutinho is a player almost entirely forgotten about – which is actually really sad.
So blessed with talent and technique, the playmaker has made 12 La Liga appearances this season, and only a further two in the Champions League.
Barca simply want his wages off their books – and one of the reasons Ronald Koeman has stopped selecting him is that Los Cules will owe the company we sold their debt to more money if he triggers appearances clauses.
As a result, he’ll be on the market for just £35m, says Spanish publication Sport – via SportWitness.
“The Premier League is one of the most exciting leagues in the world and to have the chance to play there with a team like Liverpool will always be something I will feel grateful for,” our former no.10 told World Soccer recently.