Liverpool content to restructure bid in order to clinch deal for Philippe Coutinho
Tony Barrett
Published at 12:01AM, January 26 2013
Liverpool have made a final offer to Inter Milan for Philippe Coutinho, but their bid has been restructured rather than raised as they refuse to deviate from their £8 million valuation of the Brazil player.
Southampton had a £10.2 million offer for the attacking midfield player accepted earlier this week but Liverpool’s hand has been strengthened by Coutinho’s determination to join them, a factor that they hope will sway the deal in their favour.
Ian Ayre held another round of talks with Inter officials yesterday and the negotiations culminated with Liverpool’s managing director submitting a revised offer that would include the majority of the fee being paid up front if accepted.
Liverpool are hoping for a rapid response from Inter as they are aware that Coutinho, who has only one international cap for Brazil, would not meet work-permit requirements and as such they would need to appeal to the Home Office for the 20-year-old to be granted one.
“We are hoping to do some business,” Brendan Rodgers, the Liverpool manager, said. “We know we still need one or two additions and the club is doing everything it possibly can to assist me in that. If we can, great; if not, we will have to review it again in the summer.” He also revealed that he is financing an incentive-based scheme that rewards his players whenever they record three successive victories.
Liverpool’s win over Mansfield Town in the third round of the FA Cup was the first time that the target has been reached and it led to Rodgers having to foot the bill for the entire first-team squad enjoying an allexpenses paid lunch at San Carlo, a Liverpool city centre restaurant.
“I took the players to San Carlo because as one of the ways in which we have tried to get consistency into the team I said to the players that going forward in the new year if we got three wins on the trot I would pay for lunch,” Rodgers said. “So we got off to a flyer. Maybe I should have tried it in August. When they won at Mansfield, one of the first things they said in the changing room afterwards was, ‘You better get your money out.’ Team spirit is important and even though it was just a nice lunch, the more you are together your spirit just grows.
“Small things like that can help you. I think the players enjoyed it as well so we have started the run again. I realised it could cost me a few bob when Glen Johnson was having apple tart.”
After beating Norwich City at Anfield last week, Liverpool are looking to record a second successive win when they take on Oldham Athletic tomorrow in the FA Cup fourth round.While they continue to enjoy the trappings of being one of the country’s biggest clubs, their npower League One opponents are struggling to such an extent that the TV revenue they will earn from the tie will make “a massive difference,” according to Paul Dickov, the Oldham manager.
Robbie Simpson, who scored for Oldham in their 5-1 defeat by Liverpool in the third round at Anfield last season, is hoping that the unglamorous setting of Boundary Park can help to turn the tie in their favour.
“It is going to be a bit of a culture shock for them coming here,” Simpson said. “I can’t wait to see some of their faces when they open the dressing-room door. It is not the nicest away dressing room you’ll find. We’ve only got three stands as well so we’ll see what they make of that. I’m sure they will remember the day as much as we remembered our day at Anfield.
“A repeat of my goal would do nicely, if not the result. They got two late goals and the scoreline flattered them.”
