If Neymar's huge £198m move to PSG is the benchmark this summer, goals and assists show Philippe Coutinho is worth £103m by comparison... but is that enough for Liverpool to sell?

  • Neymar's move to PSG set the tone for a new territory of huge transfer fees
  • The Brazilian's close friend Philippe Coutinho could also be set for a move
  • By statistical comparison to £198m man Neymar, Coutinho should cost £103m
  • Liverpool are insisting they will reject all advances from Barcelona this summer 

Barcelona started with a £72million bid and Liverpool said no. They returned with £80m and Liverpool rejected that too.

That led to their latest offer of £90m but again, the Premier League club didn’t cave.

Neymar’s £198m move to Paris Saint-Germain is now the benchmark. With that in mind, Liverpool know Philippe Coutinho is worth more than £100m, and the statistics say so too.

Philippe Coutinho is worth £103m if compared with Neymar's recent move to PSG, stats show

Philippe Coutinho is worth £103m if compared with Neymar's recent move to PSG, stats show

Neymar's eye-watering move set the benchmark, and now Barca want Coutinho to fill his shoes

Neymar's eye-watering move set the benchmark, and now Barca want Coutinho to fill his shoes

There are the obvious similarities between Neymar and Coutinho – both Brazilian, both 25 – but so far their valuations have been nowhere near one another. Is that justified?


In four seasons, Neymar was involved in 106 goals for Barca in La Liga – scoring 68 and assisting 38. For £198m, it means PSG have paid £1.87m per goal involvement.

By comparison, Coutinho has been involved in 55 for Liverpool in the Premier League – scoring 31 and assisting 24. Times that total by Neymar’s £1.87m and it comes to £103m.

It’s a hypothetical way to go about conjuring up a number, though would Liverpool sell for that?

Both Neymar at PSG and Coutinho at Liverpool have committed to contracts that last until 2022.

Coutinho has been involved in 55 goals for Liverpool in the Premier League, scoring 31

Coutinho has been involved in 55 goals for Liverpool in the Premier League, scoring 31

PHILIPPE COUTINHO 

Goals - 31

Assists - 24

Chances created - 241

Goal involvement - 55

Cost per goal involvement - £1.64m

Cost calculated using Neymar's goal involvement as comparison - £103m 

 

Figures taken from the past four seasons 

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NEYMAR 

Goals - 68

Assists - 38

Chances created - 287

Goal involvment - 106

Cost per goal involvement - £1.87m

Transfer fee - £198m release clause (world record) 

 

Figures taken from the past four seasons 

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Yet the fact that the latter has told his club he does not want to play for them again could convince those in charge to think otherwise. Do Liverpool retain an unhappy player, or do a deal for a record fee?

We have been here before, of course.

Chelsea bid £40m for Fernando Torres on January 27, 2011. A day later, Torres handed in a transfer request, which was rejected by Liverpool. Less than a week later, he was sold for £50m.

It is the likes of that – and the sales of Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling, among others – which has seen Liverpool labelled a ‘selling club’ by some this week.

So far, the Merseysiders have maintained Coutinho will not be allowed to leave, though they have not been tested by a bid worth a tenth of a billion.

Liverpool have been in a similar situation before, when Fernando Torres departed in 2011

Liverpool have been in a similar situation before, when Fernando Torres departed in 2011

Liverpool's US owners insist Coutinho will not be sold, but haven't been offered over £100m

Liverpool's US owners insist Coutinho will not be sold, but haven't been offered over £100m

On Friday night too it was reported that Liverpool have priced Coutinho at £136m in not-so-secret talks with Barcelona. That would represent somewhat of a U-turn by the club following Fenway Sports Group’s statement.

‘The club’s definitive stance is that no offers for Philippe will be considered and he will remain a member of Liverpool Football Club when the summer window closes,' owners FSG said on Liverpool's official website.

It was their way of sending a message to those in Spain but Coutinho has now taken things into his own hands in the form of a transfer request – a development that Liverpool have dreaded.

The majority of fans could forgive Coutinho for having his head turned by a club the size of Barcelona, with the tantalising possibility of playing alongside Lionel Messi and Suarez.

Several managers this week have said in their press conferences the money that PSG paid for Neymar is ‘crazy’ and that it could drive the price of other players up.

Coutinho is one of them, though Liverpool are well within their rights to hold off or demand a ridiculous fee for their supposed replacement, especially given his contract does not expire for five years.

Coutinho has now taken matters into his own hands in the form of a transfer request

Coutinho has now taken matters into his own hands in the form of a transfer request

Another comparison between Neymar and Coutinho is that the former has created 287 chances in the last four seasons while the latter has created 241. Barcelona will know this, having done their homework.

The idea is that Coutinho could form part of a front three or that they could use him behind a front two of Messi and Suarez. Deal or no deal, it will now be an uncomfortable 20 days for Liverpool.

Barcelona want a big name to replace the big name they have lost. Though they will not have to break the bank to do it – given the £198m now in their back pocket – it will take £100m-plus. And so it should. 

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