Tottenham Hotspur Hold Advantage In The Race For Barcelona Ace: Should Conte Snap Him Up?

Mundo Deportivo has recently revealed that Tottenham Hotspur hold an advantage in the race with Newcastle United for Barcelona ace Philippe Coutinho. It is believed that the Brazilian playmaker prefers a move to Spurs as he values their sports project more with Barca eager to get him off their wage bill during this January transfer window.

Coutinho’s Unimpressive Season In La Liga So Far

Coutinho has endured another difficult campaign at the Nou Camp as he has failed to be consistent with his performances as a key component of Barca’s attack. The ex-Liverpool sensation has made 16 appearances for the Catalan giants this season, scoring two goals in the process across various competitions.

The 29-year-old has seen most of his playing chances come off the bench but has done well to average 2.0 shots and 1.1 dribbles per game in La Liga. He has been a tidy ball-distributor for Xavi’s side after completing 86.8% of his attempted passes in the Spanish first division (stats via whoscored).

Should Tottenham Hotspur Snap Coutinho Up This January?

On his day, Coutinho can be a real handful for any defender because of his dribbling ability and playmaking. He can make some dangerous runs with the ball towards the opponent’s penalty box and can set up a few clear-cut chances for his teammates to score.

However, frequent injuries have derailed the Brazilian’s progress in recent seasons, so there are some question marks over whether he can be a success story in the Premier League once again if Spurs decide to secure his signature this month.

Coutinho knows English football well from his time at Liverpool but he is not the same player he once was at the Merseyside club. At 29, he seems like a shadow of his former self and could struggle to be productive in the English capital. Therefore, Antonio Conte should not consider snapping the Brazilian talent up during this winter transfer period.

Tottenham would be better off opting for someone more reliable and with a better injury record. Plus, the lack of first-team starts has drained Coutinho’s confidence which makes him a worrying option for the North London outfit to pursue this winter.