Coral Predicts: Life after Coutinho for Liverpool

Liverpool’s play will have less imagination without Coutinho but they might be a more effective counter-attacking side.

Potential Replacements

Naby Keita – Coutinho’s replacement could be Liverpool-bound Naby Keita. The Reds have already tied up a deal to bring in the Red Bull Leipzig midfielder next summer.

Keita has a brilliant all-around game. He’s as comfortable charging forward as he is making a crucial tackle.

Coutinho has played in a deeper role this season to accommodate Salah and Mane on the flanks. Keita is a very different player but he could make that midfield spot his own when he arrives.

Riyad Mahrez – If Riyad Mahrez can reproduce the form of 2015-16, he’d be a great signing for almost any side.

The Leicester City ace can play out wide or as a number 10. He also demonstrated the work-rate that would be necessary for Klopp’s system during the Foxes’ title-winning campaign.

He’s not been as effective since then, although he did want to leave for a new challenge during the summer. Mahrez wouldn’t come cheap but he has similar qualities to Coutinho.

Thomas Lemar – Thomas Lemar was one of the standout performers during Monaco’s Ligue 1 triumph and run to the Champions League semi-finals last season.

He played wide on the left of a four-man midfield, with a licence to drift infield. It wasn’t dissimilar to Coutinho’s old position on the left for the Reds. Like Coutinho, Lemar is a slick passer with the ability to beat a man and fire in from distance.

Liverpool reportedly had a bid of over £64m for the 21-year-old rejected last summer. If they’re armed with funds from a Coutinho sale, they could tempt Monaco to sell.

Off-the-Pitch

Coutinho is an increasingly important member of the Brazil squad and his standing in the global game was highlighted with his Ballon d’Or nomination this week. He won’t win the award this year but he is in very impressive company.

The Rio de Janeiro-born midfielder is arguably Liverpool’s biggest star. He’s the sort of player Liverpool would want to build around for years to come.

It could send a damaging signal about the club’s ambition if he were to leave. But with the sums that were on offer during the summer, using the money from any sale to fund some smart purchases would be a good response.

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