Brazilian superstar Phillipe Coutinho arrived in Barcelona yesterday to finalise his 160-million-euro move to the Blaugrana, which would make him far and away the most expensive and high-profile transfer in any winter transfer window.
"Bem-vindo! Welcome! Benvingut! ¡Bienvenido!" Barca tweeted to Coutinho along with a waving hand sign and a video showing a shirt bearing his name in a locker.
But although the swoop for the 25-year-old attacking midfielder -- which contains a 400-million-euro release clause -- is the third biggest transfer in football, questions have been raised about the timing of the move.
Coutinho's transfer in the middle of the season means that he will be cup-tied for the Champions League. This means he will miss out on the chance to showcase his skills on Europe's biggest stage, a feeling that is exacerbated at a time when Liverpool are genuine dark horses. The only other time he had played in Europe's elite competition with the Reds was in the 2014/15 edition, when the Merseyside club were eliminated in the group stages.
With that in mind, many Liverpool fans felt a hint of betrayal and many Barcelona fans questioned why the move -- and such a high fee -- was deemed necessary by the board. La Liga is almost wrapped up with Barcelona nine points ahead of their nearest challengers, Atletico Madrid in second. So, ostensibly, Coutinho can only make significant contributions in the Copa del Rey, where Barcelona are already in the Round of 16.
However, Barcelona's motivations for the move are quite simple.
Having the 25-year-old in their arsenal means that they can rest Andres Iniesta and ensure that their most experienced midfielder remains fresh for the Champions League -- a competition that is surely the top priority at this stage. The versatility that he brings could also see him provide respite to Lionel Messi or Ousmane Dembele if the need arises.
As for the fee, it is clear that the Barcelona board have taken a bit of a gamble. The Brazilian's price has remained the same as in the past summer, but there were fears at the Nou Camp that it would only increase come the end of the season, especially with there being a World Cup, an event that can exponentially raise the price of any given player.
From Coutinho's point of view as well, the move could not have come at a better time. He can enjoy the remaining months of the season without the weight of expectations on his shoulders as Barca cruise towards La Liga.
That six-month period will also give him the chance to settle into the team and, perhaps most crucially, get a trophy -- something he failed to do during his five-year stay at Liverpool.
