Liverpool ‘interested in Philippe Coutinho return and Barcelona star wants Anfield move’

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Liverpool are interested in re-signing Philippe Coutinho and the Barcelona star would like to return to Anfield, according to reports. The Brazil international was a huge hit during his time on Merseyside. But he’s not been the same since playing since moving to Catalonia back in the January transfer window of 2018.

Liverpool signed Coutinho in January 2013, bringing him in from Inter Milan.

And the Brazil international went on to establish himself as one of the best players in world football during his time at Anfield, taking the Premier League by storm.

Liverpool then sold Coutinho to Barcelona for £142million in January 2018, despite initially wanting to keep their prized asset.

But the Samba star has struggled in the time since.

Coutinho has been a major flop at Barcelona, one of the biggest in the club’s entire history.

Yet despite his magic dwindling in recent years, El Chiringuito TV claim that Liverpool want the player back.

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Though Jurgen Klopp’s squad is well-stocked, they’re lacking a playmaker.

Roberto Firmino used to be one during his younger years but, in the time since, has morphed into a striker instead.

Manchester United and Manchester City have Bruno Fernandes and Kevin De Bruyne respectively.

And Chelsea and Arsenal have Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard.

But Liverpool are lacking a No 10 and that’s why they appear to be interested in Coutinho, nearly four years after his departure.

The player himself would like to return to Anfield, it’s claimed, and whether that happens in the New Year remains to be seen.

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Barcelona are open to cutting Coutinho off the wage bill, especially given the big disappointment he’s been.

But Newcastle are also lurking and, now they’re one of the richest clubs in world football, have the financial muscle to broker a deal.

Speaking last year, meanwhile, Klopp claimed he respected Coutinho’s desire to leave ‘from the first second’.

“I really respected Phil’s switch from the first second,” the German told the Pure Football Podcast.

“Not that I do that all the time but it felt oh wow that could be difficult.

“So it’s not about yes we signed a new contract so many weeks before that but it was really clear he would not have asked me for any other club but for this club, there was no chance.

“Then we had to be hard in the summer because we had no other solution. We lost Adam Lallana [to injury] in that time as well, we would have lost two players.

“That’s not possible, you cannot solve that on the transfer market.

“He was open to that [staying] and that was really cool. Then you have to be fair in the window and say we can do it, we don’t like it but we can do it.”

Coutinho himself said upon joining Barcelona his desire to leave Anfield wasn’t down to money.

“This is not about money” he said. “It’s about the chance to play for Barcelona, to live in Barcelona.

“I gave 100 per cent, 100 per cent of the time I played for Liverpool, Five years, I did everything I could possibly do. I love this club, but it is time for a new adventure.

“I have so many memories and have so many people to thank at Liverpool. I have to improve as a player. In my head, I always think this.

“I understand the size of the task ahead, the cost of the transfer, the status of the deal but this is about ambition, dreams. I want to play with the best player in the world.

“But I will return to Liverpool to say goodbye, to my team-mates, to staff and to the people who helped me and my family. I owe them a lot.

“Now I am looking forward. It’s time.”

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