Jurgen Klopp sends message to Liverpool supporters about Philippe Coutinho relationship
The Liverpool manager is adamant that he still has a positive relationship with want-away Philippe Coutinho
Jurgen Klopp has reiterated that he still has a good relationship with Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho.
The Reds were forced to fend off interest from La Liga giants Barcelona over the past couple of weeks.
The Spanish side made a third and final offer of £118m to sign the 25-year-old following Neymar’s world-record £118m move to Paris Saint-Germain.
Liverpool, though, refused to budge and Barcelona are rumoured to have withdrawn their interest in the Brazil playmaker.
The Merseyside outfit have been without Coutinho for their opening two Premier League fixtures.
Liverpool were 3-3 draw with Watford in their season opener before the Reds edged to a 1-0 win against Crystal Palace at Anfield last weekend.
Coutinho was missing for Liverpool’s 2-1 win against Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim in the first leg of their Champions League playoff in Germany last week.
The Brazilian has been ruled out of the return leg on Wednesday night due to illness amid continued uncertainty about Coutinho.
However, Liverpool boss Klopp reassured Reds fans that he still has a good relationship with Coutinho despite the attacker handing in a transfer request earlier this month.
“I think I never gave a comment on whoever wrote or said,” Klopp told his pre-match media conference on Tuesday evening.
“It’s 100 percent that nothing changed. My English is not good enough for 500 answers, always the same question, nothing changed.”
Pressed on whether things are fine with Coutinho, Klopp added: “Why, if everything is ok? Yes, indeed, absolutely, 100 percent.”
Coutinho moved to Liverpool in an £8.5m deal from Serie A giants Inter Milan in 2013.
Fact file: Philippe Coutinho
Liverpool signed Philippe Coutinho in an £8.5m deal from Serie A giants Inter Milan in the 2013 January transfer window.
The South American is still waiting to win his first trophy with Liverpool but finished as a Premier League runner-up in 2014.
Coutinho was voted Liverpool’s player of the year in 2015 and 2016 thanks to his influential performances.
The Liverpool No10 has scored 42 times in 184 appearances in all competitions during his four-and-a-half year stint at Anfield.
