It’s only been a year since Brazilian international midfielder Philippe Coutinho left the Premier League for Barcelona. However, reports are suggesting that a return to England is in the cards as Manchester United is in pursuit.
The Manchester Evening News cited reports claiming that Manchester United are in talks to bring on the 26-year-old, who played at Liverpool for five seasons after being signed from Inter Milan.
At Liverpool, Coutinho developed into a premier play-making midfielder. He recorded 12 goals and eight assists in 17 matches with the Reds before Barcelona acquired him for $181.2 million during the 2018 January transfer window.
Coutinho has had issues finding his form in Spain, though. He’s appeared in just 15 matches in all competitions this season with five goals and four assists.
The Manchester Evening News was quick to add that there has been no official confirmation that Manchester United has entered negotiations for the star or if Coutinho would want to leave Barcelona for a return to England.
A move back though would provide him with an opportunity to regain his world-class form while receiving regular playing time. He would have no issue finding it at Manchester United considering the Red Devils are 16 points adrift from the Premier League lead and have fired manager Jose Mourinho.
They have seen considerable improvements under caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with five-consecutive victories in Premier League and FA Cup play. It’s worth noting though that the competition hasn’t necessarily been top-tier as their wins have come over Huddersfield, Cardiff City, Bournemouth, Newcastle, and Championship side Redding.
One major factor that could be working against a Coutinho-to-Manchester United move is that attacking prowess is not at the top of the club’s list of needs. Instead, help at the back is more of a priority as the Red Devils are expected to be in the hunt for defensive improvements this month.
