Coutinho is not good enough for Man Utd, would not fit in at Arsenal but would be ‘great’ Spurs transfer, says Ferdinand
PHILIPPE COUTINHO is not good enough for Manchester United and would not fit in at Arsenal, according to Rio Ferdinand.
But the former Red Devil thinks the playmaker would be a “great” signing for Tottenham.
Barcelona are looking to sell the Brazilian – who they bought for £142million from Liverpool in 2018 – and a return to the Premier League seems on the cards.
The midfielder is on loan at Bayern Munich, though the German champions are said to be uninterested in making the move permanent at the end of the season.
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Arsenal, Spurs and United are said to be interested in bringing the 27-year-old back to England but Ferdinand thinks he would only suit the blue and white half of North London.
Speaking in an Instagram Q and A on Monday, he said: “At Liverpool he was an amazing player, but since he left he hasn’t really done it.
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“He struggled at Barcelona, struggled to fit in there and then he hasn’t done amazingly well at Bayern.
“I think he is a great player, a huge talent, I think he needs saving.
“Coming into the Premier League to the right team would be a saviour for him, he needs that.”
Despite his recent struggles, Ferdinand thinks Coutinho would flourish again if he was playing under Jose Mourinho at Tottenham.
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He added: “I would have said Man Utd before Bruno Fernandes turned up, but not now. Would he improve Spurs?
“Yes he would, 100 percent. People like Kane, Dele, Son etc. all feed off someone like him.
“I think he would be a great addition to Spurs’ squad. Arsenal he would definitely improve them, but where does he play in their system?
“They’ve got Ozil. I like Ozil if he is played well.
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“Barely any team can afford him where he would fit in. He wouldn’t fit into City, Liverpool, not any teams like that.
“Would he be a good addition, yes? Not Man United though, and he played for Liverpool so it is a difficult one. The rivalry is mad.”
Bayern paid Barca £7m to loan the ex-Anfield hero for the season and despite nine goals and eight assists in 32 appearances, the
Bundesliga champions are not willing to meet the £100m asking price to sign him.