Regarding Petite Philippe Coutinho, I can't imagine any team coughing up the reduced 90 mill for what I consider an incredibly flawed player.
Positives: Big right foot, quickness, creativity
Negatives: Slow, doesn't defend, lack of stats (5 goals, 2 assists in 34 La Liga matches this past season), benched, considered expendable, little demonstration of leadership skills, attitude (mopey diva who faked injuries to gain exit from LFC + some Brazilian entitlement DNA)
Ignoring Coutinho's mental configuration / attitude deficiencies and simply focusing on his football skills/flaws, I see many similarities with Salah
Mo +: quick, big motor, knack for the net, assists
Mo - : limited to left foot, lacks speed vs top team defenders, turnover machine, defensive effort/skills are minimal, lack of big match stats
Mo's intangibles: off the charts
Strictly from a valuation stand point....I would sell Mo at his 150 mill valuation in a millisecond because his 2018-19 game resembled more his Roma stats than his 2017-18 LFC stats.
Looking at the highest valuation players in the world in which Mo is tied for 3rd....Mbappe, Neymar, Hazard, Messi, Sterling......all can beat their defenders handily either with speed or dribbling or both.
Despite, Salah's 17 PL (non PK) goals this past season, most were clean up scores with few earned based on superior speed and/or dribbling during this past season, unlike the season before.
Harry Kane is considered a top 6 valuation guy as well and I just classify him as a pure + proven goal scorer in the box, with a history of scoring vs top teams.
In my view, Mo is a big step below all these guys. Again, just looking at this in terms of valuation.
IMO, the best teams have easily stifled his game and the vast majority of his stats are vs weaker teams. The world's elite score vs all competition, not just bottom dwellers.
Valuing Mo as top 3 in the world is insane and I would readily discuss a transfer if approached.
Of course, I don't see fit and bankroll out there to make such an approach.
Look at it this way....with 150 mill in the bank, could you buy a 17 goal scorer who will be fed balls at a ridiculously high rate like Mo is?
My verdict..........Hell ya.
All you need is 80 mill with 70 mill to spare....Coutinho style.
Sell at the highs when valuations get ridiculous and buyers get stupid.
« Last Edit: Jun 15, 2019 07:04:37 pm by Borg »
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