El Flaco
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Philippe Coutinho is expected to return to Liverpool next week where he will be assessed by Klopp ahead of Manchester City. (Paul Joyce)
From the article behind a paywall
From the article behind a paywall
Philippe Coutinho is in a “moment of anguish, disappointment and sadness” according to Neymar, the forward’s Brazilian team-mate, as his hopes of a transfer to Barcelona looked set to be dashed.
Neymar, the world’s most expensive player following his £198 million move from the Nou Camp to Paris Saint-Germain, opened up on Coutinho’s state of mind after the Liverpool player scored in Brazil’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Ecuador.
The Spanish transfer window closes tonight with Liverpool’s insistence that Coutinho would not be allowed to leave so far deterring Barcelona from making a fourth bid for the 25-year-old. Previous bids of £72 million, £90.3 million and £118 million have all been rebuffed.
Coutinho has missed all of Liverpool’s matches so far this season due to a back injury and then illness, but managed to feature in Brazil’s game in Porto Alegre yesterday.
He came on in the second half and scored with Neymar claiming afterwards: “Unfortunately, instead of being a happy time for him [Coutinho], for his family, it’s a moment of anguish, disappointment and sadness.
“I like to see him happy because he is a team-mate and a friend that I’ve had for a long time. He was rewarded with a goal today, for his and our joy.”
Brazil travel to Colombia on Tuesday after which Coutinho is expected to return to Liverpool where he will be assessed by manager Jürgen Klopp ahead of next Saturday’s Premier League game with Manchester City.
Neymar, the world’s most expensive player following his £198 million move from the Nou Camp to Paris Saint-Germain, opened up on Coutinho’s state of mind after the Liverpool player scored in Brazil’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Ecuador.
The Spanish transfer window closes tonight with Liverpool’s insistence that Coutinho would not be allowed to leave so far deterring Barcelona from making a fourth bid for the 25-year-old. Previous bids of £72 million, £90.3 million and £118 million have all been rebuffed.
Coutinho has missed all of Liverpool’s matches so far this season due to a back injury and then illness, but managed to feature in Brazil’s game in Porto Alegre yesterday.
He came on in the second half and scored with Neymar claiming afterwards: “Unfortunately, instead of being a happy time for him [Coutinho], for his family, it’s a moment of anguish, disappointment and sadness.
“I like to see him happy because he is a team-mate and a friend that I’ve had for a long time. He was rewarded with a goal today, for his and our joy.”
Brazil travel to Colombia on Tuesday after which Coutinho is expected to return to Liverpool where he will be assessed by manager Jürgen Klopp ahead of next Saturday’s Premier League game with Manchester City.
