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Philippe Coutinho completed his dream move to Barcelona on in a £142 million deal which makes the Brazilian playmaker the second most expensive player in the world. The former Inter starlet has signed a five-and-a-half-year contract with the Spanish giants.
He had been Barcelona's preferred option to replace Neymar who joined PSG in the summer. Liverpool reportedly rejected three bids from them but the Blaugrana eventually came back and got their man.
His departure leaves a huge gap in the Liverpool line-up as his combination with Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino was central to Liverpool's quest for Champions League qualification.
Klopp and the board now have over just 20 days to find an ideal replacement.
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Here is a list of players who can replace Coutinho at Liverpool:
Reported Target: Riyad Mahrez
The former PFA player of the year has been a target for the "Big Six" since Leicester's title-winning season in 2016.
The Algerian international was keen to move away from the Foxes this summer. He even put in a transfer request in hopes of getting a move this past summer. He ended up staying after clubs refused to meet Leicesters £50m valuation.
Mahrez had struggled under Craig Shakespeare early this season but has been in great form lately under new manager Claude Puel. So far, he has scored seven goals and provided eight assists to his teammates.
Despite Puel claiming that the player is happy at Leicester, it is believed that he still wants to move away.
Reported Target: Thomas Lemar
The 22-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Premier League in the summer but stayed put at Monaco. North London giants Arsenal had reportedly failed with a staggering £90m bid.
The French international has been linked with Liverpool recently. Lemar was key to Monaco's success last season. His 14 goals and 17 assists helped the team to win Ligue 1 and qualify for the Champions League semi-finals.
He is yet to hit the same heights this season having scored twice and four assists. But that hasn't tarnished his reputation.
Monaco is still adamant about losing Lemar. Liverpool will have to spend most of the Coutinho fee if they have to sign the French international.
Gamble: Christian Pulisic
The American international is one of the most exciting youngsters in football.
Pulisic has everything Liverpool is looking for - He is still in his teens, can score and can get past defenders.
Despite only being 19, he is a regular in Dortmund Line up. He repaid his managers faith by scoring thrice and assisting once. He has also created 16 chances for his teammates. His 49 successful dribbles this season is the most by a player in Bundesliga.
In Pulisic, Liverpool can get a hardworking player who is committed to improving his game season after season. This makes him a priceless asset for the future.
He has previously insisted he is happy to stay at Dortmund. But their inconsistent showings could convince him to leave the club, with Liverpool waiting on the wings to pounce.
Gamble: Nabil Fekir
Nabil Fekir offers a different perspective compared to other players on this list.
He is eligible to play in the Champion League (Mahrez is also eligible), and could come cheaper than the others on the list. Above all, he has been in excellent for this season.
Fekir has scored 16 goals and assisted four times in all competition. He has also completed 89 of his attempted 119 dribbles.
With Klopp preferring to play a false number nine, Fekir could be an asset for Liverpool in years to come.
But signing him won't be easy as they Liverpool hope it would be. Lyon will be keen to keep their captain at the club at least until summer. Liverpool will have to see off competition from Manchester clubs, Arsenal, Tottenham, Roma, and Real Madrid.
Dream signing: Mesut Ozil
Is there a better way to replace Coutinho other that signing arguably the best attacking midfielder in the league?
The German international has been in astonishing form this season. He has scored four times and provided five assists to his teammates. He has also created 62 chances for his teammates.
While Ozil may not score as often as Coutinho, he can compensate it with creating chances and providing assists.
With Ozil's contract up in the summer, Arsenal are reportedly ready to sell him for a fee of £35 million.
It's a match made in heaven. Liverpool has everything Ozil wants: they have an exciting project, one of the best managers in the world and the team is definitely on the up.
In return, Liverpool gets a top-class player with a lot of experience. Even though it is highly unlikely, he is one that worth's trying.
