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With Barcelona playing in the Champion's League final in a little under two weeks, Luis Suarez being an important part of Europe's most exciting attacking unit, and Liverpool struggling to find the net with any consistency, LFC fans with an Everything's the Worst streak could be forgiven for still wanting to gnash their teeth over the loss of the Uruguayan to the Catalan club, even a year removed.
They could also be forgiven for seeking comfort in their new mercurial player of the year, adorable pug enthusiast and nutmeg connoisseur, Philippe Coutinho. In keeping with all the negative emotions surrounding the end of this season, though, the only logical next step to Liverpool fans' love of Coutinho pretty much has to be fears that losing him will soon come to seem something of an inevitability.
And adding mind reading to his magical abilities, Coutinho's footballing hero and Barcelona legend Ronaldinho is here to stoke those fears.
"He has had a fantastic season," Ronaldinho recently told The Daily Mail. "He has been one of the best midfield players in Europe. When you realise that he has been playing in a team that has not been performing well, that is an even bigger achievement.
"I can't speak for him and I can't speak for Barcelona, but I know what they look for in a player and he has all those qualities. After all those years at the club, Xavi has left and Iniesta is now in his 30's—they will need to address that. That is why I think Barcelona and Coutinho would be the perfect fit.
"Playing with great players makes you better, I know that. Not only would he win trophies with Barca, but playing with Neymar, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Iniesta is going to make him a better player."
So. As good as it feels to have Coutinho's talents be recognised, particularly by his childhood hero, that could all have some rather unpleasant consequences for Liverpool fans still reeling over Raheem Sterling's departure demands and waiting for the club to belatedly get around to properly replacing Suarez.
Coutinho recently signed a new five-year deal worth £70k per week, has shown no signs of displeasure in his time at the club, and has experienced the downside of apparent dream moves before, so he may be more likely that most to think twice before jumping at another. Barcelona also aren't reported to have shown any actual interest as yet.
On the ETW side of things though, the combination of football idol recommendation and linking up with an old teammate, a living legend, and an international teammate and boyhood friend for arguably the finest football team in the world at the moment would have to be a tempting one if Barcelona do decide to start sniffing around.
Add to that that his current employer seems to yet again be floundering for direction, and it can all make for some scary reading for the negatively inclined. Which we are. Every last one of us.
If you aren't already strapped in expecting the bumpiest of summers, now might be a good time to do so.
