Philippe Coutinho is determined to prove himself as he wants to extend his stay at Bayern Munich beyond this season.
Bayern Munich have been inconsistent in the 2019/20 season till now. The Bavarians currently sit fourth in the league table, four points behind Borussia Monchengladbach. Niko Kovac had to eventually leave the club due to the inconsistent nature of the club’s performances.
If you want to use a player to show Bayern’s form then, Philippe Coutinho is the perfect example. The Brazilian has also shown glimpses of his brilliance, but yet to find the right consistency. Coutinho currently has three goals and five assists to his name in Bayern colours across all competitions.
The former Liverpool forward has been singing praises of Bayern for helping him settle in the new league and country. He is eager to do well at the club and has previously insisted that his performances will improve as the season progresses.
Coutinho had a poor 18-month spell at Barcelona, so he currently has no plans to return to the Spanish club in summer. While talking at a fan meet on Sunday (via Sport), Coutinho admitted that he wants to stay at Bayern beyond his one year spell.
"“I feel really comfortable here.”“My plans are to stay here for one year and to focus on that, but if everything goes well, I would love to stay.”"
More from Bayern Strikes
- Bayern Munich: Tactical takeaways from 2-2 draw against Bayer Leverkusen
- Bayern Munich: Kingsley Coman set to be fit for Manchester United clash
- Bayern Munich unlikely to move for Trevoh Chalobah in January
- Bayern Munich: Key lessons from draw against Bayer Leverkusen
- Bayern Munich remains keen on hiring Max Eberl
Bayern Munich reportedly have the option to sign Coutinho for €120 million next summer. The reports in Spain earlier this season suggested that the Spanish club is ready to negotiate the transfer fee with Die Roten. The Bundesliga champions have also publicly admitted that they are pleased with Coutinho’s performances.
Coutinho got a run in the first team under Kovac as the Croatian was playing him in the number ten role. The Brazilian excelled in this position, showing his creativity in the final third. He also scored some good goals while playing in this position.
After Kovac’s dismissal, Coutinho has lost his place in the lineup, as Flick prefers Thomas Muller behind the striker. Moreover, the German forward has been in fine form, making things more difficult for Coutinho. The Brazilian forward has been used on the left-flank by Flick, but he has struggled to influence games from this role.
Bayern didn’t take up the option to sign James Rodriguez permanently from Real Madrid last summer. Die Roten may go down the same route if Coutinho struggles to improve his form during the second half of the season. The German club’s interest in Kai Havertz and Leroy Sane will further raise doubts over Coutinho’s future in Bavaria. Coutinho may like to continue in Bavaria, but he has a long way to convince the club to sign him permanently.