Liverpool transfer news: Philippe Coutinho unsure of Anfield future

Barcelona set to make ‘stunning £127m bid’ for the Brazilian playmaker

Philippe Coutinho Liverpool Barcelona
Liverpool and Brazil attacker Philippe Coutinho is a long-term target of Barcelona
(Image credit: Aitor Alcalde/Getty Images)

Just hours after scoring his first hat-trick for Liverpool, Philippe Coutinho has admitted he is unsure where his future lies.

The news, carried by Sky Sports will set alarm bells ringing at Anfield, who fought valiantly last summer to stave off interest from Barcelona for their Brazilian playmaker.

Their determination has been rewarded by a series of scintillating performances this season from Coutinho, culminating in Wednesday night’s trio of goals that helped Liverpool thrash Spartak Moscow 7-0 and progress to the last 16 of the Champions League as group winners.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

But the rumours have never gone away that Barcelona will be back in January with a bid even bigger than the £113million offer that was kicked into the long Liverpool grass by Jurgen Klopp last summer.

Asked about his future plans in the wake of Wednesday’s walloping of Spartak, Coutinho replied: “I am at Liverpool and I always do my best when I have the opportunity to play, respecting the jersey and the supporters.”

But pressed for a less diplomatic answer, the 25-year-old obliged by saying: “I do not know how the future is going to be. What will happen in January, we will know it in January. I do not know if there will be an offer.

See more

“Last summer there was a job offer in the same way that happens with any employee and I was interested in it. Since I stayed I have played with will and desire. Of course a lot happened in the summer but my will is always to play and do the best wherever I am - that has not changed.”

While his avowal to do his best for the Reds will be appreciated by the Kop, Coutinho’s admission that something might happen next month will cause a few sleepless nights over the Christmas period for Klopp, especially with The Sun claiming that Barcelona are lining up a “stunning £127m bid” for the South American sorcerer.

Continue reading for free

We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.

Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.