Coutinho refuses to rule out January move away from Liverpool

Philippe Coutinho has refused to rule out leaving Liverpool in January to put further doubt over his long-term future at the club.

Barcelona failed to sign Coutinho in the summer and were even willing to pay in excess of £100m to prise the Brazil international away from Anfield.

However, Jurgen Klopp’s side categorically ruled out Coutinho’s departure even though their talisman handed in a transfer request in a bid to force through a move away. 

Barcelona are widely expected to return with a January bid for Coutinho and the 25-year-old insists he is unsure what will happen in the future in regards to his Liverpool career.

“I don’t know how the future is going to be,” The Daily Mail quote Coutinho as saying. “What will happen in January, we will know it in January. I do not know if there will be an offer. I am at Liverpool and always do my best, respecting the jersey and supporters.

“Last summer there was a job offer in the same way that happens with any employee and I was interested. Since I stayed, I have played with will and desire. It was a special night due to the result and because I had the armband.”

Coutinho scored his first Liverpool hat-trick in their crushing 7-0 win over Spartak Moscow on Wednesday night, but that would have only heightened Barcelona’s interest in the Brazilian.

In fact, Coutinho has scored or assisted 13 goals in his last 10 appearances (eight goals, five assists) for Liverpool and been named the WhoScored Man of the Match on five occasions in that run, including Liverpool’s last two games.