It has the potential to be one of the transfer deals of the upcoming window, but a former Chelsea legend has urged Frank Lampard against signing Philippe Coutinho.
The Brazilian has been offered to the Blues and Arsenal for £75m, according to the Sun, while Sport have since claimed he’s closing in on a move to Stamford Bridge following talks.
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However, Chelsea great Alan Hudson doesn’t believe he’s worth that, even if it’s roughly half of the €160m (fee via Goal) that Barcelona paid Liverpool for his services.
“The questions far outweigh the answers, and for me his form has been in a decline similar to Alexis Sanchez after leaving Arsenal.
“Frank’s job depends on his next big signing because of him bringing through a lot of kids, and l think Frank will give him a wide berth.”
Coutinho can’t seem to catch a break. His brilliant form at Liverpool earned him the move to Barca, where he became their most expensive acquisition.
After an initial burst of good form, which included a goal in the 2018 Copa del Rey final, his form tailed off significantly. So much so, that the Catalans sent him on loan to Bayern Munich.
However, his stint in the Bundesliga has been similarly disappointing, and it appears that the Bavarians aren’t willing to take up their purchase option on the player.
That’s left Barca with little choice but to get what they can for him, which might not be an awful lot once transfer figures are revised after the coronavirus crisis.
If Hudson’s instincts are correct, then his next destination won’t be in west London either.