Newcastle United should consider Jurgen Klopp’s transfer stance on Philippe Coutinho amid reports that the Magpies are keen on signing the Brazilian.
Liverpool were reportedly interested in resigning Coutinho from Barcelona in the summer until Klopp stepped in and prevented the Reds hierarchy from pursuing the deal.
The 29-year-old departed Anfield for the Catalan giants in January 2018 in a deal said to be worth around £142million.
But Coutinho’s move to Spain has not quite worked out as he had hoped, as he struggled to replicate the kind of form he produced on Merseyside on a regular basis that earned him his move in the first place.
He has made 96 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona and even spent a year out on loan at Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, whom he scored two goals for against his parent club in their famous 8-2 victory.
Due to a combination of injuries and lack of form, Barcelona were keen to allow Coutinho to depart the Nou Camp for a reduced price of £50 million in the summer, but no clubs were willing to meet the asking price.
According to El Nacional, via football365, Liverpool were open to bringing him back to Anfield but Klopp told the club’s board he does not want to work with Coutinho again as he has not ‘forgiven his betrayal’ from 2018.
Since the completion of the takeover last week, Newcastle have been heavily linked with a move for the 63-time capped Brazil international, with their new owners reportedly having already made contact with him.
However, given Klopp’s sheer defiance in not wanting to work with him for a second time, it could provide Newcastle with a little warning as to what they could be getting themselves into.
