Sky Sports transfer guru Kaveh Solhekol is adamant Liverpool won’t get themselves involved in the transfer race for Coutinho.
The Telegraph says Barcelona are keen on loaning the Brazilian out, and with the Premier League transfer window shutting this Thursday, teams need to act quickly to get the potentially marquee move over the line.
We’d imagine Phil would jump at the chance of an Anfield return, but right now, there are no real indications the club want to re-sign the player who left us in such controversial circumstances 18 months ago.
As you’ll remember, Coutinho handed in a transfer request on the first day of the season in 2017/18, rocking our preparations to a campaign that eventually ended in Champions League Final heartbreak in Kiev, after he’d departed mid-term.
Without him, we made up for it in Madrid one year later of course, securing our sixth European Cup with victory over Spurs.
“I think it’s to do with the way he left the club,” Solhekol said live on Sky Sports, cited by Live4Liverpool. “The way he left Liverpool and agitated for a move to Barcelona.
“We had that whole situation where he wasn’t playing because he had a back injury.
“I’m not sure that the majority of Liverpool fans have forgiven him yet for the way he behaved. I’m sure he regrets some of the things that happened and some of the things that were said and I’m not really sure that Liverpool need him at the moment.
“They came so, so close to winning the title last season. They won the European cup.
“You’ve got to trust in Jurgen Klopp. If Jurgen Klopp wanted Philippe Coutinho, I think he would be able to pull that deal off and I’m sure Liverpool owners would back him.
“Coutinho needs Liverpool more than Liverpool need him.”
On this occasion we reckon Solhekol is spot on. Coutinho would be exciting, and don’t get us wrong, if Jurgen Klopp decided to give him a second chance – we would too – but it’s not the German’s style.