Liverpool reportedly turned down the opportunity to welcome Philippe Coutinho back to Anfield before his move to Aston Villa.
The Barcelona man will spend the next six months on loan with the Lions after a deal was confirmed on Friday, reuniting him with Steven Gerrard in the Premier League.
Coutinho was linked with a number of Premier League sides before settling on a move to the West Midlands, and a return to Anfield was unsurprisingly mooted.
Liverpool were not believed to have had a serious interest in bringing Coutinho back to Merseyside, but Sky Sports News claims that there was a slim chance of the Brazil international turning out in red for a second time.
The report adds that the 29-year-old would have been happy to pull on the Liverpool jersey again, but Jurgen Klopp's side ultimately decided not to pursue a deal.
Coutinho only has two goals to show from 16 appearances at Barcelona this season and previously registered 41 goals and 37 assists in 152 Premier League matches for Liverpool.
Ben Knapton
