He may be saying another thing now, but he was once saying one thing, “A premier league player I will like to come join me in Barcelona is Philippe Coutinho, he totally fits the Barcelona squad. I have told him to come”.
That was his old saying, nowadays he is drunk with the imagination of a self acclaimed crown and a kingdom. A kingdom where his battle to take a penalty kick is considered a treasonous order. He desires to play, begs to take the kick, then fights to be the one that takes the shot, but it’s Cavani that takes it eventually.
In Barcelona, where he was a prince, it was never so. He didn’t need to beg or fight. The king, the one true king, in many situation honored his princehood with the gift of taking set pieces. Even when the king needed a third goal to complete a hat trick. So was his ‘messiful’ heart of kind gesture.
However dark the little pesky prince has become, Barca would still thank him for turning the attentions of the Barca board to getting Coutinho. Since he pointed, the board never looked back. Today, while Coutinho already heeded to his call, he seeks to deceive him, but Coutinho has a mind of his own. The deal is done. £160m was the price, part of that money has gotten Ox Chamberlain for the reds.
Now, Chelsea fans have more reasons to hate Barcelona. Yes, they played a part in convincing the Arsenal boy to wear red instead blue. Let’s just say they needed Coutinho so much that they promised to help Liverpool with finding replacement.
First they promised to deliver Rakitic or Sergi Roberto, Messi stood in the way. Then they offered Ardan Turan, the reds said he is a liability. “Who do you want?” asked Barca. “Help us get Thomas Lamar” Fenway Sports Group, owners of Liverpool replied.
It was not easy to get Thomas Lamar any lesser or cheaper it would getting Coutinho, so they drafted another plan.
Barca decided to persuade Liverpool to get a cheap Chamberlain, then as a backup plan for 2018, get a Naby Keita who fits the EPL play perfectly. So if Ox doesn’t perform they have Keita as a good back up plan.
Yet they could still chase after Thomas Lamar. If they fail to get him Barca still obliges to give them Ardan Turan as mild consolation, if they want.
These sounded good to the FSG, so just before Coutinho would leave for the World Cup Qualifiers in Brazil. They had one last meeting with Coutinho’s team, yet trying one last time to change his mind. He didn’t agree so they sealed a quiet deal that allows them go after the plans without announcing the Barca-Coutinho deal as a done job until the super idea to finding Coutinho’s replacement is do e and dusted.
On Thursday slash Friday, Coutinho would be announced. For now let’s keep the secret among us. Hush…don’t spill it!