Liverpool managed to step into the Champions League for this season on the final day of their previous league campaign and Jurgen Klopp is now looking to make sure that they can continue their progress in all competitions now. They have added a couple of exciting stars to their squad already but are now in the danger of losing one of their most important players in Philippe Coutinho.
The Brazil international is easily the most exciting player for Liverpool at the moment but he is now attracting interest from Barcelona, who want him to replace their outgoing Brazilian Neymar Jr this summer.
Reports claim that Barcelona are preparing a £107m bid for his services this summer and though Klopp is still adamant that he is not for sale, the new bid might tempt Liverpool to cave in. Coutinho will be a huge loss for the squad at Anfield that Klopp is building for the long term so how can they replace the 25-year old magician this summer?
The German manager has time and again maintained that Coutinho will not be sold this summer. However, for contingencies, he will have a few replacements in mind, even as Liverpool already have a strong squad at their disposal.
The likes of Thomas Lemar and Naby Keita are natural replacements for Coutinho but Liverpool need a slightly more established star to make sure that they can use him in their first team next season.
Roberto Firmino and Adam Lallana are the only two players who can take Coutinho’s position in the current team and add that flair to their game but Klopp will certainly be ready to spend big on any of his top transfer targets this summer.
One such player, though not easily available, that Liverpool are already scouting for is French sensation Kylian Mbappe. Having recently revealed that he wants to quit Monaco this summer, Mbappe is wanted by the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona but Jurgen Klopp is in regular contact with the player, which could help Liverpool land him.
At just 18, Mbappe is searching for a club that can provide regular first team football and neither of the Spanish clubs can promise him as much next season. This will mean that Liverpool are already in a strong position to sign him.
And to add to that, the £107m that Coutinho will fetch will make sure that they can afford the teenager this summer. Naby Keita is also a decent choice for the Reds and though he is not a like for like replacement, could be a handy option but it is becoming increasingly impossible for Liverpool to lure him to Anfield, which makes Mbappe all the more important. But do you think Liverpool can land Mbappe or will they have to look elsewhere if they lose Coutinho this summer?
