Transfer Centre

Graeme Souness questions Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho stance

By Matt Law, Football EditorPublished: 03 September 2017 7:54 PM

Former Liverpool midfielder Graeme Souness says that the Reds should have sold Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona in the summer transfer window.

Former Liverpool midfielder Graeme Souness has claimed that the Reds should have sold Brazilian attacker Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona in the summer transfer window.

It is understood that Barcelona were prepared to pay in excess of £100m for Coutinho, but Liverpool rebuffed the interest in order to keep hold of the playmaker.

Souness, however, has said that members of the Liverpool dressing room will not be too pleased with the 25-year-old, who reportedly handed in a transfer request in an attempt to force a move to Camp Nou.

"Going forward, what sort of Coutinho is Jurgen Klopp going to have around the place?" Souness wrote in The Times. "There will be some players in the dressing room who are not terribly happy with him and everyone will be keeping a close eye on him.

"Will he still be the same committed Coutinho from past seasons? Only he can answer that. I would have accepted an offer in excess of £100m for him."

Coutinho has not yet represented Liverpool this season, but is currently with the Brazil squad on international duty.