Jurgen Klopp helped make 'Philippe Coutinho transfer clause' irrelevant at Liverpool
Liverpool sold Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona back in January 2018 in a mega-money deal and Reds’ boss Jurgen Klopp has ensured that there has been no repeat since
Liverpool have done plenty of business with Spanish giants Barcelona in recent years.
Javier Mascherano quit Anfield in the summer of 2010 to join the Catalans after a successful spell as a Red. He was joined by Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez four years later as Barcelona concluded their long-standing interest with a £75m swoop.
Even during Jurgen Klopp's time as Liverpool boss, negotiations between the two sides have continued. The Reds cashed a £142m cheque for the signature of Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho, who made a dream move to the Camp Nou in January 2018.
Explaining why Liverpool had agreed to the switch, Klopp said: “It is with great reluctance that we – as a team and club – prepare to say farewell to a good friend, a wonderful person and a fantastic player in Philippe Coutinho. It is no secret that Philippe has wanted this move to happen since July when Barcelona first made their interest known.
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The German then added: “I can tell the Liverpool supporters that we, as a club, have done everything within our means to convince Philippe that remaining part of LFC was as attractive as moving to Spain, but he is 100 per cent certain his future – and that of his family – belongs at Barcelona. It is his dream and I am now convinced there is nothing left at our disposal to change his mind.”
While there has no doubt been a draw for Liverpool players to move to Barcelona over the past two decades, the Reds have attempted to stem the tide. Following Coutinho’s move, they negotiated a clause that would see the Spanish side pay an £89million premium on top of any transfer fee for a Liverpool player until the summer of 2021.
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That has stopped any further moves between the two clubs but given the trajectories of both, the clause has proven irrelevant anyway. Since Coutinho’s exit, Liverpool have re-established themselves as one of the most successful clubs in English football.
Klopp led the club to their sixth Champions League title in 2019, while they have reached a further two finals. They have also managed to end their long wait for a Premier League title, while also winning the FA Cup, League Cup, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup.
Meanwhile, Barcelona have endured a rollercoaster spell since Coutinho’s move. They have won just one league title in the last four years, while they have not won the Champions League since 2015.
Liverpool's home shirt for the 2023/2024 campaign pays homage to Bill Shankly and the legendary Reds manager's final season in charge at Anfield. The Nike shirt features a bright red design with a bold white contrast on the colour and cuffs.
That inconsistent form has seen four permanent managers be appointed by the club hierarchy. Away from their performances on the pitch, Barcelona have also endured plenty of upheaval off of it.
They are currently not playing at their famous Camp Nou home as it undergoes redevelopment, with the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium acting as their home ground. It would not be an outlandish suggestion to say that Liverpool are currently a more tempting proposition than Barcelona. So while the Catalan giants have done plenty of business with Liverpool in the past, that list appears unlikely to grow any time soon.
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