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Philippe Coutinho: Liverpool forward admits to Barcelona interest

Last updated on .From the section Liverpoolcomments130

Philippe Coutinho has admitted he was "interested" in a move to Barcelona last summer and is unsure what the future holds for him at Liverpool.

The 25-year-old had a transfer request rejected in August, as the Reds turned down three bids from the La Liga club.

"I do not know how the future is going to be," said the forward, who signed a five-year deal at the start of 2017.

"What will happen in January, we will know it in January. I do not know if there will be an offer."

Barcelona targeted Coutinho after selling his fellow Brazilian Neymar to Paris St-Germain for a world record fee of £200m.

Liverpool said the playmaker was not for sale and rejected bids of £72m, £90m and one in the region of £114m prior to the transfer deadline in Spain, which closed a day later than in England.

Speaking at his news conference on Friday, manager Jurgen Klopp said he "had no reasons to think about" losing Coutinho.

"Whatever I can say doesn't stop questions, so I don't answer," he said. "Nobody has come to me and said: 'Phil, he will be away in January'. I'm completely fine with the situation.

"We had this big story in the summer and I have no desire to have it again."

After missing the start of the season through injury, Coutinho has since scored nine goals in 13 appearances - including a hat-trick in Wednesday's 7-0 thrashing of Spartak Moscow in the Champions League.

He continued: "Last summer there was a job offer in the same way that happens with any employee and I was interested in it. Since I stayed I have played with will and desire.

"Of course a lot happened in the summer but my will is always to play and do the best wherever I am - that has not changed.

"I am here [at Liverpool], we have a lot of games and I try to do my best to help. I always do my best when I have the opportunity to play, respecting the jersey and the supporters,"

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130 comments

  • Comment posted by Moon, at 17:49 7 Dec 2017

    "admits to Barcelona interest"

    No mate, we just assumed you handed in a transfer request for a laugh

  • Comment posted by Emile Heskey for England Captain, at 18:04 7 Dec 2017

    Yes...he handed in a transfer request so I think we all knew he was interested. Probably still is...it's Barcelona!

    Incredible journalism.

  • Comment posted by Ronan266, at 17:44 7 Dec 2017

    I think we all knew that, it’s just the BBC trying to ignite a wet fire

  • Comment posted by Huggie, at 17:52 7 Dec 2017

    This doesn't really feel like News. Pretty obvious he was interested in Barca. Still is. Who wouldn't be.

    But he's only the 29th best player apparently. Barca should look higher.

  • Comment posted by More Like It, at 18:42 7 Dec 2017

    Of course he was interested, who wouldn't be? That includes every player at every club in the EPL.

    Thing is, he was professional enough having had the bids turned down, to knuckle down and play absolutely brilliant football.

  • Comment posted by Sharpshooter78, at 18:27 7 Dec 2017

    I might be being paranoid but it's a bit weird why the BBC have released this story, is it because Liverpool are on a really good run of form and they're trying to unsettle the team?

  • Comment posted by User0501082201, at 17:48 7 Dec 2017

    great player as a utd fan id love him at OT. for me, he moves abroad because either he prefers that 'culture' or weather OR he thinks he can win more and be with a 'bigger club 'e.g.barc/real .For me, both are on the wane.If i were him and looking at honours id stay put as think the scousers 'reluctantly' are coming. im hoping their results are a one off but as with citeh, its a long season....

  • Comment posted by Hot Bovril Cold Pie, at 19:25 7 Dec 2017

    BBC no better than a tabloid these days, oh how the standards have dropped since the big move out of London.

  • Comment posted by D1679639342724, at 18:14 7 Dec 2017

    I am not a fan of LFC but wish the media would just drop stories like this and leave clubs in peace rather than unsettling their fans. The guy signed a 5 year contract less than 12 months ago, Liverpool purportedly refused a bid and now he is playing well. End of story.

    Tomorrow it will be another story about how Ozil and Sanchez will not be sold in January. Please report something concrete.

  • Comment posted by SamB, at 18:02 7 Dec 2017

    I remember in July people saying he's not worth £80 mil and that if we kept him he would play badly or even go on strike!

    Where are you now?

    He's shown that keeping him was the correct decision. He's young, he's got 4.5 years left on his contract. His value isn't going to decrease any time soon. We should hold on to him as long as we can. Barca might even look elsewhere? De Bruyne perhaps?

  • Comment posted by RealFootball, at 18:39 7 Dec 2017

    Why is this even open for HYS?

  • Comment posted by robin, at 18:19 7 Dec 2017

    Guess his agent has told him to kick start the move for Jan.
    How can he survive on £5m a year?

    Ford Coutinho unreliable.

  • Comment posted by Leivapool, at 17:53 7 Dec 2017

    #4, I think you are right. Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez etc are all getting into their 30's and both clubs will need to rebuild in the next couple of years or so. Our squad has years on them if we can hod them together and build a better team behind them, starting with Keita next season. Utds team is also quite young. Hopes are promising of a return to English clubs dominating again.

  • Comment posted by Stop collaborate and listen, at 18:25 7 Dec 2017

    Philippe Coutinho has admitted he was "interested" in a move to Barcelona last summer

    -

    Er yea I think we figured that one out when you refused to play

  • Comment posted by Englands day will come, at 19:08 7 Dec 2017

    took the BBC long enough to work out he was only interested..i thought putting in a transfer request and crying after a Brazil game was enough to tell everyone that he was at least interested.

  • Comment posted by Rich-D, at 17:53 7 Dec 2017

    He will go, his quotes are effectively encouraging a bid. Good luck to him, but he will be missed by all LFC supporters for sure!

  • Comment posted by TheFridge, at 18:04 7 Dec 2017

    He's a brilliant player but as a Liverpool fan it won't hurt/annoy much when he leaves, we won't get ripped off like we did with Suarez & we have 2/3 other really good players still along with his large fee which should get a couple of top players.

    I'd be very surprised if Liverpool let him go in Jan, surely it should be agreed to let him go in the summer, PSG could bump the fee up even more.

  • Comment posted by steve kaiser, at 18:20 7 Dec 2017

    Greed and self importance. How horrible this game has become. Stomach churning. This game, who we all thought was beautiful has been destroyed by money and the men whose sole aim is to make more. Disgusting.

    I love football, Everton and England. But I have no time for these players earning stupid money. It has gone too far. £100,000 and more per week!!!

  • Comment posted by bistry, at 13:14 8 Dec 2017

    always a story created by the media to make the headlines instead to give the opportunity to LFC to continue in their impressive form however LFC will forever survive with or without Coutinho.

  • Comment posted by Bird, at 23:28 7 Dec 2017

    Although I believe Coutinho will be off to Barca in the next six months, credit to him for giving his all to Liverpool in the meantime.

    Costa and a few others take note.

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