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Should Everton sign ex-Red midfielder

By Matt Townsend

Philippe Coutinho of FC Bayern Munich during the German DFB Pokal quarter final match between FC Schalke 04 and Bayern Munich at the Veltins Arena on March 03, 2020 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany(Photo by ANP Sport via Getty Images)
Philippe Coutinho of FC Bayern Munich during the German DFB Pokal quarter final match between FC Schalke 04 and Bayern Munich at the Veltins Arena on March 03, 2020 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany(Photo by ANP Sport via Getty Images) /
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A catch up on current transfer rumours today as more stories continue to link Everton with a host of new players. The latest rumours connect the Blues with ex-Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho.

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti, has been clear that the Toffees need much more energy and creativity in midfield. He’s right, and this is one of the key transfer priorities this summer.

Inevitably then the Blues have been linked with a succession of high-profile midfielders such as James Rodriguez, Gareth Bale and most recently Jack Grealish.

The latest stories centre on the former Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian, has struggled to establish himself since moving to Barcelona from Anfield, in a huge transfer deal in January 2018.

As a result, Coutinho moved to Bayern Munich on loan, where again, he hasn’t been able to secure a regular starting place in the German side.

Barcelona seem to be ready to trim their squad for financial reasons, something that the current pandemic crisis has only made more urgent. So all this means that players on the fringes of their squad like Coutinho could be available for a greatly reduced price.

Furthermore, Everton have a very good relationship with the Spanish giants having signed Lucas Digne, Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes from Barcelona in recent years. So that might make such a transfer story a little more credible.

So would a move for Coutinho make sense for the Toffees? This is yet another transfer rumour that is most likely just more paper talk to fill our time before football returns.

Coutinho is undoubtedly a very talented, dynamic and exciting footballer, as his time at Liverpool certainly showed. Technically he’s an outstanding player who creates and scores plenty of goals.

He also excels playing on the left hand side of midfield and likes to cut inside. This is a position where the Blues certainly need more options. He can also play centrally too.

Coutinho also seems to be a player who thrives in English football rather than abroad in Europe, even though he might have been expected to do well in a league like Spain’s.

Like others the Toffees have been linked with, Coutinho would make a positive difference to the quality of the Everton team, and would also represent that statement, marquee signing, which has certainly been seen as a major consideration for some at the club.

Critically of course are the questions around whether he as a former Liverpool player, would want to come to Everton, whether Blues supporters would have reservations about him coming to Goodison Park and what sort of fee he would command.

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There are also stories circulating that Everton are looking at a younger Dutch midfielder Teun Koopmeiners, who plays for AZ Alkmaar.

Koopmeiners is more of a central player and can score goals, who would offer more defensively than Coutinho. As a Dutch player, he’s well-known to Marcel Brands and It’s also likely he would be much more affordable.

Personally I think a move for Coutinho would be a desirable one, as long as the fee would be reasonable, by that I mean not much more than £50 million or possibly a loan with the option to buy.

His arrival would give the Toffees team a real boost in terms of the sides’ creative capacity as well as more goals from midfield, something Everton definitely need.

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