Liverpool fans woke up with our Christmas bubbles slightly deflated, following the weird story that Nike had announced the Coutinho to Barcelona transfer.
There was a part of the Barcelona Nike website which was advertising Coutinho merchandise, although the link was dead and it was soon removed.
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Nike accidentally announce Coutinho to Barca signing
But why did it happen?
According to the Echo’s Liverpool reporter James Pearce, Nike and Barcelona are not providing answers – but he still cannot see Phil leaving this winter.
https://twitter.com/jamespearceecho/status/947454459290050560
Barca are obviously incredibly confident of getting a deal done, but there’s no indication Liverpool would sell now having stubbornly refused in the summer.
What’s more, he just played against Leicester – and if a mega deal was imminent – there’s no way he would have been risked.
Virgil van Dijk didn’t play for three consecutive games in order not to risk the £75m transfer, but Coutinho’s fee will be around double that – so there’s no way he’d be in Klopp’s consideration.
If he’s absent from the Burnley and Everton tie, we know we’ll be in trouble.