.. Just found some interesting quotes from the Inter president Inter president: Philippe Coutinho transfer to Liverpool is not for money By Tom Etherington 2013-01-28 16:53:00 Inter president Massimo Moratti has stated that the sale of Philippe Coutinho to Liverpool is to help bolster other areas of the squad and not because the club need money. The Brazilian attacking midfielder is on the verge of moving to Anfield for a reported fee of £8.5million, provided Liverpool do not move the goalposts during negotiations. Moratti said: "In any case, we are selling Coutinho so we can strengthen other areas, not because we need the money. "Now we have to figure out if Liverpool's position has changed. If the conditions are the same as they were [Sunday], then the deal will go through, otherwise it won't." Coutinho is expected to complete his medical later this evening, having arrived at Melwood earlier today, before an official announcement is made by the club tomorrow. The 20-year-old started his career at Vasco da Gama before moving to the Italian giants in 2010, when Rafa Benitez claimed that the youngster was "the future of Inter". Coutinho has only started three times for the Serie A side this season but impressed during a short-term loan at Espanyol last season, where he scored 5 goals in 16 games. Get the feeling this is far from over, especially with them quotes and Rodgers quotes today.
LFC Transfer Spec‏@LFCTS Sky Italia: Coutinho has arrived for medical tonight, deal will be announced by Liverpool tomorrow http://sulia.com/my_thoughts/5a118f64-fd74-40af-8c4a-189b9e944b99/?source=twitter …
Hopefully the way Inter have gone about it is ****, apparently moratti said it may be done on the 31st depending on Liverpool.
"There are certain opportunities that should be taken," he told reporters. "Sometimes players are able to get more playing time, and so I think it could be a great opportunity for Coutinho and a deal that might work out well for us." Not seen any quotes about the deal potentially being done on the 31st, although there was this; "Now we have to figure out if Liverpool's position has changed. If the conditions are the same as they were [Sunday], then the deal will go through, otherwise it won't.
Think they may be trying to get more cash or maybe more cash up front?. Long as they don't try getting Saints involved some how again.
The deal is agreed, aslong as we stick to what we've agreed the deal will go through. Apparently Coutinho needs a work permit (I don't think it'll be a problem). Seems now just a matter of when
Who would've thought in 2010 that the team that had just won the European cup would be using the club that had just won the JPT trophy to get themselves some much needed extra money three years on... Shows how far you've come in such a short period of time!
Surprising stat re. Coutinho (Taken from KopSource): This is quite encouraging as Rodgers is trying to assemble a group of players who are constantly harrassing the opposition and winning back possession Again, quite encouraging but slightly skewered as he didn't play that many games for Inter.
He was better at Espanyol than he was at Inter, which isn't surprising considering Inter's negative defensive football.
BBC Salford Quays are reporting. TRANSFER LATESTLiverpool have agreed an £8.5m deal for Inter Milan's Brazilian midfielderPhilippe Coutinho, but the 20-year-old remains a player for the future rather than a star of the present. Andrea Ramazzotti, who covers Inter for Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport and has watched all Coutinho's 28 games for the club, told BBC Sport: "He just didn't show his potential in Milan. Coutinho played very well when he was on loan at Espanyol last season, and started well for Inter this season, but they were only brief spells really. "For the rest of the time he just showed flashes of his potential and I fear the way of playing in England, which can be very physical, will not suit him, because he has a slight frame."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21236041 When Rafael Benitez introduced new signing Philippe Coutinho to the Italian media in the summer of 2010, he declared the Brazilian "the future of Inter Milan". Sadly, the playmaker has failed to develop his reputation since then. The 20-year-old remains a player for the future, rather than a star of the present, and Liverpool have taken a calculated gamble by agreeing an £8.5m deal for him. Marco Branca, who conducts all transfers for Inter Milan, told BBC Sport: "Coutinho is a very, very good player. He is still only 20 and has a big talent." Yet the fact remains that Inter's sporting director was willing to sell a player who was peripheral at best at Inter, having failed to cement a starting place or even establish his best position. Branca now hopes to use the money received from Liverpool to sign another Brazilian, the Corinthians midfielder Paulinho. Andrea Ramazzotti, who covers Inter for Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport and has watched all Coutinho's 28 games for the club, told BBC Sport: "He just didn't show his potential in Milan. "Coutinho played very well when he was on loan at Espanyol last season, and started well for Inter this season, but they were only brief spells really. "For the rest of the time he just showed flashes of his potential and I fear the way of playing in England, which can be very physical, will not suit him, because he has a slight frame." That this is a player of rare talent, though, seems beyond question. The diminutive Brazilian is an excellent dribbler, combining close control with pace and trickery. He also has finishing ability and can take a mean free-kick. Coutinho joined Inter from Vasco da Gama for 4m euros (£3.4m) in 2008, when he was 16 and one of the most coveted young players in world football. The Serie A side immediately loaned him back to Vasco, because foreigners are prohibited from playing professional football in Italy until they are 18. He returned in the summer of 2010 and quickly established himself as a favourite of new manager Benitez, featuring in 14 league and Champions League games before Christmas, most often as a wide attacker in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Unfortunately for the player, Benitez was sacked in December and his successor, Leonardo, wasn't anywhere near as big a fan of the young Brazilian. This meant he played only four more games that season, although he did finish on a high by winning the Fifa under-20 World Cup with Brazil in the summer. New manager Claudio Ranieri sent Coutinho on loan to struggling Spanish side Espanyol for the second half of the following season, where he impressed, scoring five goals in 16 appearances. This was when Liverpool first showed an interest in the player. Benitez had told their director of football, Damian Comolli, that Coutinho was the best young player at Inter and capable of being a big success in the Premier League. Inter had yet another new manager by this time though - their sixth during Coutinho's time at the club - and Andrea Stramaccioni wanted to keep the player, so Inter rebuffed Liverpool's offer. Stramaccioni's faith looked like being repaid as Coutinho was player of the tournament in the pre-season Trofeo TIM tournament , when Inter beat AC Milan and Juventus, and started the season impressively. Everything looked promising until the player suffered a stress fracture of the tibia at the end of October. Fredy Guarin took his place and has remained in the side ever since. This all made Liverpool's offer too good to refuse, as Branca decided to cash in on Coutinho's largely unfulfilled promise. It will be fascinating to see whether the player can now finally reach his potential with Liverpool, or simply remain a great hope.
