Philippe Coutinho speculation forces Klopp into stating Liverpool plans

Jurgen Klopp has denied Liverpool have any interest in bringing Philippe Coutinho back to Liverpool this summer.

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 been linked with numerous transfers this summer with Manchester United and PSG seemingly among his suitors.

The Brazilian has also been the subject of reported interest from Liverpool after Barcelona stuck a modest £88m price tag on his head, though his agent Kia Joorabchian, has been quick to insist his client only sees a future at the Nou Camp.

However, Klopp – who admitted on Wednesday that his side are still looking to make one big signing this summer – has played down any chance supporters may have had of seeing the Brazilian back in a Liverpool shirt.

“In general, Phil Coutinho helps each team in the world, still – 100%,” Klopp told ESPN. “It’s not about that. I like Phil, I think he’s a fantastic footballer and all that stuff, but it would be a big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big-money signing and it’s not our year for that.

“It’s just not possible. As I said, having him would make each team better – us included – but I really hope that he finds his luck at Barcelona.

“Or maybe he found it there. We have contact, but not that close contact that I know exactly how he is doing, but the rest is only newspaper talk and stuff like that.

“If everything was true what newspapers write about me – wow! ‘If it’s similar to what they write about me, I would say he’s completely happy at Barcelona and wants to sign a new six-year contract or whatever.”

Klopp’s comments come after Jamie Carragher suggested his former side should make a move to bring the player back to Anfield.

“I still think they can improve in midfield. I still think they could add a creative player,” Carragher told Pundit Arena. “They tried to sign one last season in [Nabil] Fekir, he’s actually gone this summer for a lot cheaper [joining Real Betis this week].

“I said it before, I’d love to see Liverpool bring back Coutinho back if that was possible in any way. Obviously, it hasn’t worked out for him at Barcelona.

“I just think that would be a great addition. You’ve got [Adam] Lallana and [Xherdan] Shaqiri in those positions, but they’re not Coutinho. He would give Liverpool something that they don’t have compared to City.”

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