• Latest
  • All
  • News
  • Lifestyle

Coutinho’s £133m move to Barca may force Iniesta out of Nou Camp

3 years ago
Nigeria Star Fires In A Superb Hat-Trick

Nigeria Star Fires In A Superb Hat-Trick

6 hours ago
“I Feel Safe With Ndidi” – Leicester City Star Credits Nigerian Midfield General For His Match-Winning Performance

Nigerians Abroad: Ndidi’s Leicester Fly High, Nwankwo’s Crotone Crash At Inter

10 hours ago
Veteran Super Eagles Star Powers Kano Pillars Past Katsina United

Veteran Super Eagles Star Powers Kano Pillars Past Katsina United

11 hours ago
Super Eagles Star Closing On First Career League Title In Europe

Super Eagles Star Closing On First Career League Title In Europe

19 hours ago
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
Monday, January 4, 2021
  • Login
  • Register
Soccernet.ng
  • Home
    Nigeria Star Fires In A Superb Hat-Trick

    Nigeria Star Fires In A Superb Hat-Trick

    “I Feel Safe With Ndidi” – Leicester City Star Credits Nigerian Midfield General For His Match-Winning Performance

    Nigerians Abroad: Ndidi’s Leicester Fly High, Nwankwo’s Crotone Crash At Inter

    Veteran Super Eagles Star Powers Kano Pillars Past Katsina United

    Veteran Super Eagles Star Powers Kano Pillars Past Katsina United

    Super Eagles Star Closing On First Career League Title In Europe

    Super Eagles Star Closing On First Career League Title In Europe

    Nigerians Abroad: A Brilliant Start To The Year For Super Eagles Stars

    Nigerians Abroad: A Brilliant Start To The Year For Super Eagles Stars

    Taiwo Awoniyi Is Gradually Finding His Feet But What Does The Future Hold For Him?

    Bundesliga: Awoniyi Starts 2021 With A Bang

    Villarreal Boss Unai Emery Tells Samuel Chukwueze Where He Needs To Improve

    La Liga: Samuel Chukwueze Assists Villarreal Win

    Aribo Helps Rangers Maintain Perfect Run; Utaka On Target

    SPFL: Super Aribo Helps Rangers Complete League Double Over Rivals Celtic

    Victor Osimhen: Napoli Fine Super Eagles Striker

    Victor Osimhen: Napoli Fine Super Eagles Striker

  • Live Scores
  • Leagues
    • EPL
    • NPFL
    • La Liga
    • Serie A
    • Ligue 1
  • App
  • Videos
  • Players Lifestyle
  • Betting
No Result
View All Result
Soccernet.ng
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Coutinho’s £133m move to Barca may force Iniesta out of Nou Camp

SoccerNet Editor by SoccerNet Editor
3 years ago
in News
0
15
SHARES
366
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

When Sportsmail first reported Barcelona had bid for Philippe Coutinho last July the name Andres Iniesta was very high up in the story.

Brazilian Coutinho had been picked out to replace a legend and despite Iniesta signing a life-time deal at the Nou Camp, that remains the case.

When Coutinho arrives, be it this month or in the summer, it will be to succeed one of Barcelona’s all-time greats.

If Barcelona are willing to give Liverpool what they want – £133million guaranteed with no part of the fee conditional on games played or trophies won – then Coutinho will arrive this January.

Being cup-tied for the Champions League, it will make it easy for Barcelona head coach Ernesto Valverde to ease him into the great man’s midfield position.

Iniesta will play in all the European games and in league matches immediately before or after the Champions League fixtures. Coutinho, meanwhile, will step into midfield alongside Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic or Paulinho.

Iniesta’s deal for life sounds like a contract that keeps him at the club indefinitely but in practice it was always more a compromise struck in October to silence talk about whether he was in his last season.

It sets out a flexible agreement between player and club that allows the former to decide two or three weeks ahead of the end of every campaign if he wants to continue or not.

Iniesta has already gone on record as saying: ‘I don’t want to be here just as a passenger, I want to be important. I don’t know how I will feel in May or June, I hope I keep feeling the way I feel now.’

Come the end of the season he may be ready to walk away. If he has won the Champions League, going out on a high could appeal. Although picking up what would be his fifth European Cup winner’s medal would probably make him feel more than ever that he still had something left to offer.

What the Barcelona hierarchy feel very strongly about is that Iniesta and Coutinho can also play together. One of the benefits of Coutinho and the reason why Barca are prepared to make such a financial commitment, is that, rather like Iniesta in his prime, Coutinho can play in two different positions.

He can operate in Iniesta’s midfield spot but the 25-year-old could also line-up slightly further forward alongside his former Liverpool team-mate Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi.

Barcelona have raced to the top of La Liga in the first half of the season, abandoning their sacred 4-3-3 because of the injury to Ousmane Dembele by playing an extra midfielder in the shape of Paulinho.

They could continue in that vein with Coutinho and Iniesta in attacking-midfield starting positions behind Messi and Suarez.

So his arrival will not make it more likely that 33-year-old Iniesta will leave. It does spell the end for Arda Turan however.

It is Turan’s No 7 shirt Coutinho is likely to take – the number his pal Suarez wore at Liverpool when the two played together.

Coutinho’s arrival will also mean Denis Suarez, Rafinha and Andre Gomes have to consider their futures.

Former Manchester City midfielder Denis had an offer from Napoli in the summer which he turned down. He will find it harder than ever to get regular first-team football once Coutinho is in place.

What remains to be seen is when Coutinho is in place. Catalan press have reported a meeting in London yesterday but they say that meeting is between Coutinho’s family and his representatives.

It’s hard to see how that will advance things – they have been on the same page since last summer when Barcelona agreed on a five-year contract for the player and a €14million (£12.4m) net salary.

It is Liverpool and Barcelona who need to push the deal over the line.

Tags: NewsTransfers
Share6Tweet4
SoccerNet Editor

SoccerNet Editor

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

Soccernet.ng

Copyright © 2020 Soccernet Media Limited.

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Live Scores
  • Leagues
    • EPL
    • NPFL
    • La Liga
    • Serie A
    • Ligue 1
  • App
  • Videos
  • Players Lifestyle
  • Betting

Copyright © 2020 Soccernet Media Limited.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In