Jurgen Klopp has insisted that Liverpool won’t be looking to bring Philippe Coutinho back to Anfield this summer, explaining it is not the year for a “big-money signing”.
Since leaving for Barcelona in January 2018, the Brazilian has endured a difficult 18 months at the Nou Camp where he’s failed to live up to expectations.
With his future now in doubt, the 27-year-old has been linked with a move away from Barcelona. It’s been reported that the Catalans have offered Coutinho to Paris Saint-Germain as part of a cash-and-players deal to resign Neymar.
According to Kia Joorabchian, Coutinho’s agent, Barcelona have been sending mixed signals regarding their plans for the forward.
But the prospect of a return to Liverpool looks to be off the table, with Klopp revealing that the club is tightening the purse strings after splashing the cash last summer.
“In general, Phil Coutinho helps each team in the world, still – 100 per cent,” 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.”
