John Aldridge comments on Coutinho and Can, fires warning to current Liverpool crop

Add as preferred source on Google

Liverpool legend John Aldridge has insisted the club are just fine without playmaker Philippe Coutinho.

The Brazilian left the club in January 2018 to join Barcelona in a deal that could eventually reach £142 million (BBC Sport).

He endured a nightmare first season at the Nou Camp as he struggled to adapt to former manager Ernesto Valverde’s system, and last summer he was farmed out to Bayern Munich on loan.

After a bright start, Coutinho is now faltering again, and it’s hard to imagine right now where he’ll be playing his football next season.

There has been some talk about Coutinho returning to Anfield (Express), but Aldridge believes his old club don’t need the South American.

He said (Liverpool Echo): “I would imagine the squad would welcome him back as he’s a really good fella and I couldn’t see that being a problem but I just don’t see it as something I would go for if it was me calling the shots.

“Ultimately Coutinho chose to leave, we got top dollar for him and it’s worked in our favour.”

Aldridge then commented on another former Liverpool player in Emre Can, who has also struggled since departing Anfield.

“To be honest I always felt he was punching above his weight at Liverpool but he thought he could do better by moving on and it hasn’t worked out for him at Juventus,” he added.

“He scored a fine goal on his debut for Borussia Dortmund at the weekend but the fact he’s had to go back to Germany to try and salvage his career says a lot and is a warning to others that you walk away from Liverpool at your peril.”

TBR’s view – Coutinho and Can moves a warning

Aldridge is right to suggest the Coutinho and Can situations are a warning to other players.

Perhaps their struggles will encourage players to think twice about angling for moves to ‘bigger’ clubs.

Should individuals be playing regularly at Anfield, there is really very little reason to want to leave right now, with the club getting things right both on and off the pitch.