Barcelona news: Philippe Coutinho must be sold if Liverpool want trophies - Dean Saunders

LIVERPOOL must sell Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona to strengthen the rest of their team if they have any aspiration of winning trophies, says Dean Saunders.

18:55, Thu, Sep 14, 2017 | UPDATED: 19:13, Thu, Sep 14, 2017

Philippe Coutinho GETTY

Liverpool must sell Philippe Coutinho, says Dean Saunders

Liverpool resisted Barcelona’s attempts to sign Philippe Coutinho over the summer, turning down a £138million offer.

And former Anfield man Dean Saunders thinks it was a terrible decision due to the way the Reds have started the season.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have looked devastating on the attack and woeful in defence, conceding eight goals in four Premier League games.

And Saunders thinks if the Reds have any hope of winning silverware they must take the cash for Coutinho and spend it on some defensive players.

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“If Liverpool want to win trophies, if they want to get to that next level, they need to improve their defence,” Saunders told talkSPORT.

“One way around that would be to sell Coutinho next summer for £130 million and buy three new defenders and a defensive midfield player…and maybe a goalkeeper as well.

“Liverpool’s front three are already brilliant, so I’d take the money for Coutinho and that’s one way you can get the back-four better.

“I wonder if the manager is sitting there this morning thinking, ‘is my back-four good enough to go where I want to go with this team?’

“Would Loris Karius get in Manchester United’s team? Would Joe Gomez? Would Alberto Moreno? Would Joel Matip or Dejan Lovren or Ragnar Klaven?’

“Go through the seven best teams in Europe, none of those players are getting in those teams, so as a manager you sit there and think, ‘are they good enough, and if not what can I do about it?’

“He could change the way they play to protect them a little bit more, or change the personnel."