Barcelona can fit Philippe Coutinho AND Antoine Griezmann into the starting XI.. and here is how
La Liga leaders are eyeing another superstar signing, with Coutinho and Griezmann lined up to replace Neymar
BARCELONA are confident of wrapping up a deal for Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho in the coming days, according to reports in Spain.
With the Reds reluctant to part ways with their prized asset, it is believed the Barcelona transfer target will become the second-most expensive player in history with Barca forking out more than £130million.
Despite such an exorbitant outlay, it seems the La Liga leaders are eyeing another superstar signing, with Manchester United transfer target Antoine Griezmann lined up for an £89million summer switch to the Camp Nou.
Already boasting an embarrassment of attacking riches, Barca boss Ernesto Valverde will have to exercise all his tactical acumen to squeeze Coutinho and Griezmann into his line-up, if and when the expensive duo arrive in Catalonia.
With that in mind, our friends at have identified three ways Barcelona could shape up with Coutinho and Griezmann in their starting XI.
Riding high at the top of La Liga, unbeaten and having just thrashed bitter rivals Real Madrid 3-0 before the winter break, Barcelona hardly seem in desperate need of marquee new arrivals.
But the Blaugrana are keen to bounce back from the unexpected departure of Neymar for Paris Saint-Germain last summer by investing heavily in headline-grabbing signings.
Ousmane Dembele was brought in at great expense in August, and now Coutinho is on the verge of a switch to the Camp Nou.
Adding Griezmann in the summer would further boost the Catalan giants’ already impressive pool of attacking talent, joining five-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta.
MOST READ IN FOOTBALL
Coutinho is believed to have been earmarked as the long-term heir to Spanish legend Andres Iniesta in the Barca midfield.
With the World Cup winner turning 34 in May, Valverde will be able to rotate his No.8 and use him sparingly if Coutinho is snared this month.
But the selection conundrum further up the pitch will prove more difficult to solve for Valverde, where Messi, Dembele, Griezmann and Suarez will all expect to start.
3-3-1-3
One option for cramming all the superstar names into his line-up is 3-3-1-3, a formation utilised regularly in the second half of last season by then-Barca boss Luis Enrique.
This would allow Coutinho and Iniesta to start together in midfield, either side of linchpin Sergio Busquets.
The one downside to this set-up would be that Griezmann would have to play wide on the right. Starting his career as a left winger at Real Sociedad, the Frenchman has thrived as a striker since joining Atletico Madrid in 2014 and would be unlikely to relish being pushed back out wide.
But a fluid front three of Griezmann, Suarez and Dembele all interchanging positions while Messi schemes behind them as a No.10, could ensure the Atleti star saw plenty of the ball in central areas.
4-2-3-1
Using a 4-2-3-1 formation would allow Griezmann to take up a central role. With the Frenchman acting as a secondary striker rather than a conventional No.10, pushing up close to Suarez in attack, Messi would have space to cut inside from the right flank.
Dembele and adventurous full-backs Jordi Alba and Nelson Semedo would provide width, preventing Barcelona from becoming too narrow and congesting the central zones.
The caveat to this approach would be that Coutinho would be asked to play a deeper role than he is accustomed to. That could prevent the Brazilian from performing to his creative and unpredictable best.
4-3-3
If Barca wanted to stick with their traditional 4-3-3 set-up – although Valverde has favoured 4-4-2 this term – fitting both Coutinho and Griezmann would likely mean dropping Suarez.
The Uruguayan striker has not been at his brilliant best this term. His 10 goals from 22 games, while a respectable return for most centre-forwards, is some way short of his usual strike rate.
DEAL TIME Liverpool and Barcelona holding Philippe Coutinho transfer talks today as Reds eye Thomas Lemar as a replacement
With Suarez out of the side, Griezmann could start as the central striker with Messi and Dembele either side of him.
In midfield, Coutinho could take up a more favourable, advanced position, while Valverde could choose between the ageing Iniesta and Croatian international Ivan Rakitic on the other side of Busquets.