Arsenal need to resist the temptation to sign Philippe Coutinho
Philippe Coutinho still has the skill required to help a Premier League club, but he’s an exceedingly poor fit for Arsenal at the moment.
Arsenal need to rebuild their midfield this summer if they want to challenge for a Premier League title next season. That doesn’t mean the Gunners should be the club to rescue Philippe Coutinho from his nightmare at Barcelona.
The La Liga giants are doing everything they can to offload the Brazilian attacker. They’ve recently offered him to both Arsenal and Newcastle in an effort to raise funds to sign Lautaro Martinez. Mikel Arteta needs to make sure his club don’t take up Barcelona up on their offer.
It’s easy to understand why Arsenal officials could be tempted to add Coutinho to their squad. Coutinho was majestic for Liverpool before making the move to Spain. In many ways, he could be acquired to give the Gunners exactly what Mesut Ozil is supposed to give the midfield. Coutinho’s ability to add goals and assists from that part of the pitch would significantly strengthen Arsenal’s attacking options.
Why wouldn’t Philippe Coutinho work for Arsenal?
The problem is no one knows exactly what Coutinho is still capable of. His inability to find regular playing time at both Barcelona and Bayern Munich should be a massive warning to Premier League clubs interested in acquiring his services. Coutinho can probably play a meaningful role for a club like Arsenal, but it’s safe to assume he won’t be a star. That makes him a poor value, given the massive wage packet he will require.
Even if the finances could work, he’s not the right sort of player for Arsenal to gamble on this summer. Arteta is desperate to build a midfield that employs the sort of work rate required to dominate possession against elite opposition. Even at the apex of his career, Coutinho was often criticized for his lack of effort without the ball at his feet. He will not return to England with the sort of defensive effort that Arteta wants from his midfielders.
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Instead of being seduced by big-name purchases this summer, Arsenal should focus on adding toughness and grit to their squad. Acquiring that kind of edgy player could be enough to propel Areta’s squad into the top four next summer. Simply spending money on more finesse players will leave Arsenal in the same midfield morass where they currently reside.