Real Madrid Transfer News: Latest on Philippe Coutinho and James Rodriguez

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane is reportedly a huge fan of Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho, who continues to be linked with some of European football’s elite outfits.

According to OK Diario (h/t Dipesh Agarwal of Sport Witness), the diminutive Brazilian has a big admirer in the Los Blancos boss.

Additionally, according to the report Barcelona are also looking at Coutinho—dubbed as a potential heir to Andres Iniesta—and Paris Saint-Germain also want to sign him, as they seek a new talisman following the summer departure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. It’s stated an offer of €75 million (£66.75 million) would be needed to convince Liverpool to sell.

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The Reds star has enjoyed a wonderful start to the Premier League campaign, bringing invention and incision to the final third. Coutinho’s game seems to have jumped up a level under manager Jurgen Klopp, and, as such, it’s little surprise to see some of the biggest clubs in European football linked with him.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher thinks he could be the best player in the division:

Given the style in which he operates, his penchant for spectacular moments and the fact he still has many years left at the top level, Coutinho would definitely fit the bill at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Madrid’s key attacking stars—Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale—love to get the ball and drive into space; having someone like Coutinho alongside them, who drifts into pockets and has excellent lateral movement, would be a superb complement.

However, Madrid do currently have a lot of players in a similar sort of No. 10 mould, including Isco, Marco Asensio, Mateo Kovacic and James Rodriguez. As such, if they were to go all out to get Coutinho in, surely one of those players would have to make way.

Rodriguez may well be that man, as he’s hinted that he’s unhappy with a lack of game time at the Bernabeu. “I want to play more,” the Madrid star told RCN (h/t Michael Cantillon of Metro). “But hey, there’s someone (Zidane) who commands all, and it is he who says who plays who does not play.”

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The Colombia international joined Los Blancos in the summer of 2014 and enjoyed a superb first season at the club. However, since Zidane stepped in he’s found minutes tougher to come by. Here’s a reminder of what he can offer at his best:

The manager has sought to add a little more pragmatism in key matches for Madrid, meaning a No. 10 is often sacrificed for an anchorman, typically Casemiro, in the middle of the park. As noted by Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC recently, when Rodriguez plays as one of the orthodox midfield men, Los Blancos lose something defensively:

Now 25, Rodriguez evidently wants to be playing regular football and there’s no denying that he has the natural talent to be a vital cog at most elite European clubs. With so many attacking talents at the Santiago Bernabeu, he may have to move elsewhere if we’re to see the very best from him again.

Especially if Madrid are targeting a footballer of Coutinho’s style. At the moment, the Brazilian is one of the brightest midfielders in world football, and the prospect of him joining their star-studded attack would excite those who frequent the Bernabeu.

However, given how important he is to the Merseyside giants, it’d be no surprise if they demanded upwards of the sum aforementioned before cashing in.