Former Liverpool star Steve Nicol says he would take Arsenal target Coutinho over Gareth Bale and Mesut Ozil.

Former Liverpool star Steve Nicol says he would take Arsenal target Coutinho over Gareth Bale and Mesut Ozil.

Bale and Ozil have been frozen out at Real Madrid and Arsenal, respectively.

Coutinho’s Barcelona remains uncertain having just returned from a season-long loan with Bayern Munich, who won the Champions League.

Asked to pick the best player out of Bale, Coutinho, Ozil and Everton-bound James Rodriguez, Nicol told ESPN: “It seems like Bale’s done and dusted, he’s kind of semi-retired. 

“Ozil, I have no idea where he is or what’s going to happen to him. He’s played what, half a dozen games in the last 12 months or so?

“James Rodriguez, you are never sure what you are going to get. So, I would go with Coutinho.

“I still think you can get something from him in the right place. I will go with Coutinho.”