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Gossip: Coutinho 'will not play for Liverpool again', Arsenal 'open to January Alexis sale', Chelsea 'close to Sandro deal'
It’s one of the great curiosities of medical science how transfer windows seem to have a destructive impact on Philippe Coutinho’s body. Back in the summer, the Brazilian’s back gave way in the lead-up to deadline day, before he made a remarkable recovery after the window had closed.
But now, no sooner has January got under way, Coutinho has again succumbed to a thigh problem. And it seems this injury is so serious that he may never play for Liverpool again.
At least, that’s what Coutinho is allegedly telling people. The Express says the Reds playmaker has “revealed” he will never again wear the famous red shirt, or the white away shirt, or even the orange third strip (unless he goes to a fancy dress party).
It’s not clear exactly to whom Philippe has “revealed” his exit plan. Nor whether the Express’s headline, “COUTINHO: I’M OFF” is a real quote or something the paper has imagined him saying in the imaginary conversation he had when he “revealed” he had played his last game for Liverpool to an unknown confidant.
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But either way, it’s fair to say the Reds’ prospects of holding on to their star man are not looking too clever. The club’s owners have even stopped denying that Coutinho will be sold – as they did repeatedly in the summer – and it is thought they would be amenable to an offer north of £133m.
But of course this is all dependent on Coutinho’s thigh injury healing up. Let’s all pray for him this month and help him beat this terrible transfer window affliction.
Sanchez could leave Arsenal in January
Another man whose thighs could be getting jittery with the onset of January is Alexis Sanchez, who may yet secure his move away from Arsenal this month.
The Mirror says Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has “opened the door” to the Chilean’s departure by admitting that he may need to sign a big-money replacement this month if Sanchez leaves.
An injury to Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus may “tempt” Pep Guardiola to make a fresh offer for Alexis, just in case that 15-point cushion he has at the top of the Premier League isn’t quite enough.
As for Chelsea, the Mirror says the Blues are set to see off competition from Manchester United and finally seal a £50m deal for long-term target Alex Sandro, the Juventus left-back they tried and failed to sign last summer.
Stamford Bridge manager Antonio Conte is reportedly ready to “push through” a deal for Sandro and has “gone back in hard” for the Brazilian. Stop it Mirror, you’re making me blush.
Elsewhere, West Ham “remain interested” in signing Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen (Sky Sports), West Brom’s on-loan flop Grzegorz Krychowiak has been offered an “escape route” from the Premier League by Spanish side Getafe (Talksport) and Antonio Conte says he will not “stand in the way” of David Luiz and Michy Batyshuayi if they want to leave Chelsea (Telegraph). Not only that, he will happily use his Trainline.com account to book them tickets to their chosen destination.
