5 players Barcelona could have signed instead of Philippe Coutinho

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#3 Bruno Fernandes

Arguably the best midfielder in the Premier League right now

The midfielder was busy taking down opposition teams in the Portuguese league at the time Barcelona signed Philippe Coutinho. In fact, rumors linked both parties over a potential transfer but nothing developed.

Bruno Fernandes continued firing on all cylinders and it was only a matter of time before Manchester United snapped him up. The midfielder has been a huge force to reckon with since switching to the Premier League, scoring and setting up goals consistently for the Red Devils.

Fernandes recorded a whopping 28 goals and 17 assists to his name in 58 games for the English outfit last season, making him the most prolific midfielder in Europe. That beats Philippe Coutinho's record of 23 goals and 14 assists for Barcelona in over three years.

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#2 Thiago Alcantara

Barcelona chose Philippe Coutinho over Thiago Alcantara

It was almost a case of choosing between Philippe Coutinho and Thiago Alcantara when Barcelona tried to sign a replacement for Andres Iniesta in 2018. The club ended up giving Coutinho the nod and it has proved to be a catastrophic decision.

From many angles, it would've made more sense to secure the services of Thiago. The midfielder is a product of Barcelona's famous academy La Masia and has an in-depth knowledge of the club's style of play.

It would've also been a great move from an economic point of view. Thiago would've cost the Catalan giants around €70 million, which is less than half of what they paid for Philippe Coutinho.

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#1 Christian Eriksen

The Dane was linked with a Barcelona switch as well in 2018.

Christian Eriksen was one of the top-rated midfielders in Europe in 2018. The Dane was firing on all cylinders for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, with his ability to score and create earning him numerous suitors. He was untouchable in the 2017-18 campaign, recording 14 goals and 13 assists to his name for Spurs across all competitions.

The midfielder was reportedly keen to leave the Premier League at the time and Barcelona were said to have made an enquiry over his availability. However, for reasons unknown to the public, the Catalan giants decided to pull out of the deal and signed Philippe Coutinho instead.

Christian Eriksen continued at White Hart Lane for two more years before joining Inter Milan in January 2020. He played an influential role in the Nerazzurri's Serie A triumph last season, contributing three goals in 26 games.