With all the attention the Premier League has been getting in Brazil lately, several former players have been interviewed by local outlets, and asked their opinions on potential transfers.
Middlesbrough legend Juninho Paulista is one of them, and most of his recent quotes have all been covered by us.
This time, the former Middlesbrough midfielder has spoken to Goal.com about Philippe Coutinho, as the Liverpool player keeps being strongly linked to Barcelona.
“He is in a special time, he is on a very great rise and it’s not something happening suddenly, he has been conquering it over time,” Juninho told Goal.
“He adapted to (the Premier League) football very much, it wasn’t immediate like Gabriel Jesus, he was always in a constant, increasing level.
“Now it’s hard for you to turn down Barcelona, even though I think he should not leave England, but when a team with the potential of Barcelona arrives it’s hard to refuse.”
Juninho has also spoken a bit about the Premier League: “Competitive and organised, from the time I played I felt that, from that organisation and the pleasure, all the games crowded, all the games with a lot of emotion. So for me it’s the best league in the world.”
In a big story earlier this month, Catalan newspaper Sport claimed that Barcelona are confident that Coutinho himself helps a move, which means pressuring Liverpool to lower his price.
Coutinho is often on Sport’s front cover, expected by some to be Barça’s number one target this summer. But as Jurgen Klopp recently said, the move is not only up to him, and Liverpool don’t seem convinced he should be leaving at the end of the season.
