Barca wanted Coutinho so worstly that they spent a whole summer chasing him, looked silly but came back again after 4 months, making Coutinho the most-expensive player they had ever signed in Barcelona history.
Messi liked him too; he told the club president Josep Bartomeu so. Andrés Iniesta said he had just the right profile to succeed. And the sporting director answered he could be, well, Andrés Iniesta.
And the markt had gone so mad, everyone knew $135M (€120M) + a further $45M (€40M) in add-ons was too much. But the club had their strategic signing.
The day before Philippe Coutinho was presented in January 2018, Luis Suárez said: "Coutinho will give us a lot." And Rakitic said, "We know all about his quality."
Paulinho - "he is a great player,". Jordi Alba - "Coutinho is a super player, completely Barca style,".
Suarez explained Coutinho was the man who gave reds (Liverpool) the confidence to handle the ball, whose quality was so good and every time did the right pass.
"Coutinho can play inside or outside, right and left, He is an important signing" - manager Valverde.