Liverpool will not receive any more payments for Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona despite a recent report as they reportedly sold the debt to a third party.
The Reds sold the Brazilian to Barcelona in 2018 and while it was a move that panicked Reds fans at the time, it actually helped pave the way for Liverpool to win the Champions League and the Premier League.
However, a common misconception is that Liverpool are one of the Catalonian club’s many creditors but they apparently sold the debt to a company.
Despite Barcelona not paying the full fee, Liverpool have actually received the full amount and will not receive a £17.1m windfall despite what a report from Mundo Deportivo claimed.
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire explained: “It is fairly common to have these things done in business.
“Barcelona still technically owe the money to Liverpool, that is why is shows up as such in the accounts, but what happens is that the money is paid and Liverpool then send that on to the third party who has bought the debt.
“Liverpool have received all the money owed for Coutinho, but Barcelona have not yet paid it all.”
Should Liverpool re-sign Coutinho?
While I have previously admitted to wanting the Brazilian back at Anfield, it simply doesn’t make any sense for the Reds as they cannot guarantee they will get the 2017 version of him.
Since his move to Camp Nou, he has only showcased his talent in fits and bursts and Liverpool are now at a stage where they cannot sign inconsistent players even if they are capable of magical moments like Coutinho is.
The truth is that injury, lack of game time and age now make the Barcelona star a risky option for the Reds and nostalgia is the only reason why he might be an attractive option to fans.
Liverpool aren’t a one-man-band anymore
While Klopp’s side was so exciting to watch in the final 6 months of Coutinho’s spell with the club, they relied too much on single moments of brilliance from the midfielder or Mohamed Salah to win games.
Now, with world-class players like Alisson, van Dijk, Fabinho, Mane and Salah, Klopp can expect any one of them to produce a moment capable of winning a match and that’s way better than having someone like Coutinho who could score from 25 yards.