Coutinho agent reacts to talk of Liverpool loan return, Man Utd links

Philippe Coutinho’s agent claims that he is unaware of any reports linking the Brazilian playmaker with a return to Liverpool.

Italian outlet Calciomercato reported on Monday that Coutinho was the subject of interest from his former club Liverpool, with the report suggesting the Reds will take him back on a two-year loan deal with an option to buy for £88million.

Coutinho quit the Reds in January 2018 to join Barcelona in a deal worth up to £142m, but the Brazil playmaker has struggled to make an impact at the Nou Camp and has also been linked with a move to PSG.

And Coutinho’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, responded to the Liverpool rumours on talkSPORT, stating: “I don’t know about those stories.

“Bartomeu was very clear with me, saying he doesn’t want the player to leave and he has a future there.

“They made a tremendous effort to bring him over, he is Barcelona’s most expensive signing in history and the second or third most expensive signing in the world.

“He had an amazing Copa America, he was rated in the team of the Copa America, he won the Copa America with Brazil and he’s won three trophies since he’s been at Barcelona in the last two years – so he’s had a great time there.

“As things happen in football, sometimes players feel a bit uncomfortable about somewhere, sometimes it’s the clubs that just don’t quite fit.

“If that happens obviously we’ll decide what’s best for Philippe, but at the moment we’re being told that’s not happening, it’s fine.”

As for United’s reported interest, Joorabchian added: “Manchester United is a great club, I have players there and I have all the respect for them, but as far as Philippe goes it would be an extremely difficult to a near-impossible move.

“I would be very difficult for Philippe to play for any of Liverpool’s rivals, because he has such a great affinity towards Liverpool. His time there was fantastic.

“Yes, but like all big players at some point, you want to experience a different thing in your career because your career is very short, but it [his Anfield exit] has no reflection on the fact his heart and affinity is very much with Liverpool.

“I know he was cheering every time they had the chance. Lucas Leiva is the same way. A lot of these guys who leave Liverpool remain Liverpool fans because of the fans and the passion they have.

“So it would be hard for him to go to a rival.

“Every time we’ve spoken about it we’ve had that same conversation, he would find it hard to play for another club in the Premier League.”

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