Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho puts pen to paper on a new five-year deal… here’s why defences ought to be worried
No player has scored more Premier League goals from outside the box in open play than Brazilian magician since he joined
Sponsored by
LIVERPOOL fans awoke on Wednesday morning to arguably the best bit of news all season, as Philippe Coutinho put pen to paper on a new five-year contract.
The Brazilian magician, 24, had been linked with big-money moves to European giants Barcelona, amongst others.
But the £200,000-a-week deal - the highest sum in the club's history - will see Coutinho remain at Anfield until at least 2022.
Keep up to date with ALL the Liverpool news, gossip, transfers and goals on our club page plus fixtures, results and live match commentary.
While the news will come as a bitter blow to Barca and Co, the news is even worse for Liverpool's Premier League rivals.
After all, they will now have to put up with his quick feet, mazy dribbling and ferocious shooting week in, week out.
In fact, since joining Liverpool from Inter Milan for £8.5million back in January 2013, no player has scored more goals from outside of the penalty area in open play that Coutinho.
The Brazilian, back in Jurgen Klopp's starting XI after recovering from injury, has netted 11 times... more than any other.
The list reads like a who's who of the world's best finishers, but Coutinho gets in above Manchester City duo Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero (both ten) and United's Wayne Rooney on seven.
Taking into account set-pieces, only Toure has more, with 14, while Christian Eriksen joins Coutinho on 12.
But it's not just the long-range efforts Coutinho has made a name for himself from, he's been one of the Premier League's top creators since joining the club.
The "Little Magician" sits seventh in the list of top assist providers on 27, only ten behind league-leading Mesut Ozil, seven back from David Silva and only just behind Eriksen, Cesc Fabregas, Roo and Santi Cazorla.
It's a similar story when it comes to chance-creating, with Coutinho sitting fifth in the league with 231 - behind the usual suspects, Ozil, Eden Hazard and Co.
So strong has the Kop star's attacking play been in the past few years, he even sits 15th in the entire league for goal involvements (goals and assists combined).
Coutinho has netted 26 goals to go with his 27 assists for a total of 53, a list topped by Aguero on 97, with Romelu Lukaku not far behind on 86.