Chelsea have been linked with a move for Barcelona outcast Philippe Coutinho during the summer transfer window – as per reports.
The player is out on loan to Bayern right now but will return back to Camp Nou in the summer but as per the rumours, Barcelona want to sent him out on loan once again.
And it seems like Chelsea have already opened talks with the Catalans in the hopes to signing him for the 2020-21 season.
But while some fans have grown pretty excited with the news, Blues legend Frank Lebeouf has urged his former side not to try and sign Philippe Coutinho in the summer.
Asked if he could see Coutinho ending up at Chelsea, Leboeuf told ESPN FC, via Metro: ‘I don’t think so.
‘Coutinho has been good with Liverpool, so far poor with Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
‘I would have lots of question marks seeing him coming to Chelsea, to bring what?
‘We have young players, very talented, who are very promising. We have good midfield players with [Mateo] Kovacic and Jorginho, to organise the game.
‘I don’t know where his place would be. If I was the chairman, if I was the coach, I would be very hesitant to pick him up.’
Can Philippe Coutinho fit into the Chelsea side?
For starters, Philippe Coutinho would want to join a side where he can get guaranteed playing time for the upcoming season and surely Chelsea are not that club.
The Blues already have the likes of Mason Mount and Ross Barkley who are fighting for the attacking midfielder’s role in the first XI and if this isn’t enough Ruben Loftus-Cheek will also be thrown back into the mix since he has fully recovered from his injury.
So if Philippe Coutinho were to join Chelsea in the summer then he will have to fight it out with his teammates in order to set a regular place in the starting line-up. And for a player whose career in on a rapid decline we are not sure being a potential benchwarmer is the right move.
