Look away now Liverpool fans; Dani Alves has publicly urged Brazilian teammate to join Barcelona so he can play in the Champions League.
I’ll come out and say it from the off – I don’t like it. When Liverpool’s best players are linked with teams as positively loaded as Paris Saint-Germain it worries me tremendously. Many choose to believe that Coutinho is a humble boy who would reject hundreds of thousands of pounds every week in order to continue playing for Liverpool. No chance. Would you? Of course, you would you’re a Liverpool fan.
The reason Coutinho left Inter Milan wasn’t because he had a life long passion to play for Liverpool, it was to take a step forward in his career. I am certain that if Paris Saint-Germain formally bid for Coutinho and Liverpool accepted then that would be the end of it.
What really pushes my buttons, however, is when players like Dani Alves publicly endorse transfers such as these. It’s a lot easier to tell your mate at training to hush up than if he is speaking to the media.
Sky Sports via Yahoo Esportes, report Alves as saying:
“Football is about living the moment,” he told Yahoo Esportes.
“Liverpool have history but you should consider playing for top UCL sides. He has the quality to play for Barcelona.”
Firstly, did he actually say UCL? It’s a bit strange. Secondly, thanks Dani for hiking up my blood pressure with this interview. And thirdly, it would be great if people would stop patronizing Liverpool regarding the club’s history.
Liverpool have become a selling club with the sales of stars like Fernando Torres, Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling (too name a few) causing an immediate downturn in fortune for the club. While most Liverpool fans have it in for Torres, some have reconciled to the fact that it is difficult to hold onto such enormous talents.
The issue comes in when you start selling your best players consistently, a return to Europe’s elite is almost impossible. Atletico Madrid are one of the few selling clubs to have found a formula for success despite the inability to hold onto their stars.
While it may be possible to challenge while selling your best players, it’s not advisable if the club has aspirations for top trophies. Klopp will be aware of what is best for the club. Once again, it is important to consider what Coutinho will do; if Barcelona come knocking it is quite difficult to say no.