Philippe Coutinho could make a return to Liverpool.Where have we heard that before? It seems ever since the Brazilian left the club for Barcelona in the winter of 2018, hes been linked with a move back to Anfield.Its fair to say that the Coutinho move to Barca has been a disaster, and is now shorthand for any player believing that the grass is always greener on the Spanish side. Coutinhos career instantly unravelled, and his current stock is at an all-time low.It goes down as one of the worst transfers in the history of the game, arguably the worst.So is a comeback feasible? Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo are reporting that Liverpool have tried to re-sign the 29-year-old multiple times over the summer, but a deal between the two clubs has failed. Read MoreRelated ArticlesRead MoreRelated ArticlesLets ignore the financial details of such a move, and focus on the tactical. Where would Coutinho fit in this current Liverpool side, if indeed at all?In his last full season at the club, Coutinho tended to operate on the left hand side in an attacking midfield position, either in a midfield four or a three. On rare occasions, Jürgen Klopp would utilise him as a traditional No.10 behind one or two strikers.Klopp only sporadically used the system he has since developed into his automatic first choice: the 4-3-3. Each of Sadio Mané, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino are great exponents of the approach, pressing relentlessly and each possessing the fluidity to interchange positions to make life intolerable for the opposition.Coutinho lacks the dynamism of Salah, Mané and Firmino, not to mention the stamina required by Klopp to implement his high press throughout most of a game. Coutinhos presence in the starting XI would likely negate the work of the other two players that would start in attack alongside him.A Coutinho return just wouldnt work, unless Klopp wanted to use an extra instrument in scenarios in which 'plan A' wasnt working and change formations to accommodate him, but this is highly unlikely. Tactically speaking, it is simply not a good fit.Coutinhos history at Liverpool has already been written, and that chapter should stay closed.Read MoreRelated ArticlesRead MoreRelated ArticlesIn any case, Liverpool already have a 'new Coutinho'.Pre-season and Liverpool's Premier League fixture against Burnley has seen the emergence of a new diamond at the tip of Liverpool's midfield in Harvey Elliott.The youngster was able to produce a dominant performance at Anfield in the Premier League over the weekend against a physical and defensively resilient opposition. Elliott is of a similar ilk to Coutinho. He has the same technical qualities coupled with a formidable vision and ability to play passes through opposition defences with ease.At Blackburn in the Championship last season, Elliott ended the campaign as one of the best creators in the league. He ranked in the top five for key and smart passes according to Wyscout, and that same quality has shone in Liverpool's first team too. The 18-year-old has been able to fit in seamlessly and has developed a particularly astute link-up with Mohamed Salah on the right flank. Read MoreRelated ArticlesRead MoreRelated ArticlesElliott's emergence negates the necessity for Liverpool to bring in Coutinho, or indeed any player of a similar profile. The young midfielder fills the brief: it is telling that he made his debut in the position where Klopp used to deploy Coutinho during the Brazilian's last six months at Anfield, following the arrival of Mohamed Salah. On top of that, like Coutinho, Elliott is capable of playing on the wing as deputy to Salah or Mané. In fact he was even used as a false number nine at times while at Blackburn last season. For now, Coutinho might be the better player, but at 29 years old the Brazilian is on the decline. He also comes with steep wage demands that could be of financial detriment to the club, and an unenviable injury record.Elliott, by contrast, offers tremendous potential: he is a project worth investing in. With an ageing attack, Liverpool have to concentrate on the future, and Elliott represents exactly that, even if Coutinho still technically has the edge for now.Both financially and in terms of the system, Liverpool have more to gain from Harvey Elliott. Therefore, their stance on Philippe Coutinho should be clear. Read MoreRelated ArticlesRead MoreRelated Articles