As the Liverpool superstar Coutinho exits Anfield, Liverpool is all keen to prepare a quick move to fill the breach left with Thomas Lemar still emerging as the top of their wanted list. Coutinho is on the edge to step into Camp Nou after the Reds agreed on a £142m deal to sell the player to Barcelona.
The transfer is expected to be done within the next 24 hours as the Brazilian is on his way to Spain on Saturday evening to complete the formalities of the deal.
Though Liverpool stood firm at first, it seemed that the romance between Liverpool and Barcelona still on high after Luiz Suarez’s transfer few seasons back as the same happened with Coutinho.
Jurgen Klopp will be keen to ensure Liverpool’s season not threatened by Coutinho’s departure with the Reds on a 17-game unbeaten run – their longest such sequence in more than 20 years that sees them challenging in for the Premier League top four position, through to the last 16 of the Champions League and into the FA Cup fourth round. So now they are targeting Thomas Lemar as the possible replacement of Coutinho.
Liverpool showed huge interest in signing the French international on deadline day last summer but couldn’t agree on a deal with the Ligue 1 side. Klopp is an admirer of the 22-year-old attacker, who has also previously attracted interest from Arsenal.
Monaco coach Leonardo Jardim this week revealed they had no intention to release Lemar this month. Now the Reds with a humongous fund could turn up with a mammoth bid. Will they bid utmost for the Monaco Midfielder? That’s the talking point of Anfield right now.
Jose Mourinho also wants this Lemar hard to bring to Manchester United, though it is claimed that Lemar wants to join Liverpool instead due to one key reason – the fact he’s been guaranteed game-time by Jurgen Klopp.
According to transfer Pundit Duncan Castle:
“It’s the guarantee of game-time, Lemar knows he will play.
Liverpool is clearly doing a good job convincing players that’s the club they want to go to.
Jurgen Klopp is playing a big part in that and he’s done that with Virgil van Dijk, convincing them that Liverpool is the best club to go to despite competition from Manchester City and Chelsea.”
Here are some Thomas Lemar statistics:
2017-18: 2 goals. 4 assists (18 matches yet)
2016-17: 14 goals. 17 assists (55 matches)
2015-16: 5 goals. 5 goals. (34 matches)
Liverpool has kept their options open which includes Leicester City’s Riyad Mahrez, Bayer Leverkusen’s’ Julian Brandt, Paris Saint-Germain winger Julian Draxler and Schalke’s Leon Goretzka. But an immidieate replacement of Coutinho is needed to be sorted out.
The Reds are now at 4th position in the Premier League point table with 2 points behind the defending Champions Chelsea. They were impressive in the last match as they clinched the victory against their Merseyside rivals Everton. The newcomer van Dijk scored and it was all about the Reds in the Anfield. With Man City game awaiting on next Sunday can they get over the current leaders when Coutinho is no more in the squad?
