Would Philippe Coutinho be the perfect replacement for Andres Iniesta at Barcelona?

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Philippe Coutinho has been talked about as a potential target for Barcelona during the last 12 months. Despite the 24-year-old extending his contract recently, he continues to be linked with a move to Los Cules. Former Liverpool player Luis Garcia believes that the Brazilian would be the ideal successor to Andre Iniesta. However, he has urged the midfielder to remain at Anfield for the time being in an interview with Talksport:

“Coutinho is a very important player for Liverpool. As a former player from both teams and the love I have for both of them, I would like to see Coutinho for a few more years in a red shirt.

“Coutinho is still a very young player and Iniesta is maybe going to be in the first team for two of three more years. With the quality and technique that Coutinho has got it would be a brilliant time for the team”

The Brazilian international has been excellent to watch at times this season and was even talked about as a potential winner of the PFA Player of the Year award after the first few months of the campaign. However, he has struggled to hit those heights consistently since returning from injury and there is still a long way to go before he can be considered ready to play for a club like Barcelona. It is interesting that he is being discussed as a replacement for Iniesta as this would involve a change in role. That said, he has a lot of technical ability and would be able to thrive in any position given the correct coaching.

When comparing the two players based on this season, it looks like Coutinho has the ability to replace Iniesta when the time comes. The one caveat to what follows is that Coutinho is currently playing as one of the forward three at Liverpool, therefore he has more chances to influence the game, while Iniesta plays in the centre of the park. The following stats are based on their averages every ninety minutes.

Coutinho averages 2.38 key passes, 2.67 chances created and has a pass completion of 83%. This is impressive and emphasises his improvement under Jurgen Klopp. The final stat is particularly relevant as, like Iniesta, he is good at retaining possession and rarely gives it away, despite operating predominantly in the final third. Meanwhile, the Barcelona legend averages 1.7 key passes, 2.04 chances created and has a pass completion rate of 87%. He is playing on a team with three of the best attackers in the world and his creativity continues to impress, as highlighted by his three assists.

It is clear why Barcelona are tracking Coutinho, as he is a stereotypical Los Cules player. He is small, but possesses a lot of technical ability and thrives in tight spaces. Although the Liverpool man is emerging as one of the best players in the Premier League, he needs to play one season as his peak in England to prove that he is one of the world’s best. If he manages to do that, then a move to the Nou Camp makes a lot of sense. He would be hoping to play as a forward there, but Luis Garcia isn’t wrong when he says that the 24-year-old would make a great replacement for Andres Iniesta.

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