Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is playing it cool around the possibility that Philippe Coutinho could return to Anfield in the transfer window.
When Jurgen Klopp was asked about the rumors around Philippe Coutinho coming back to Anfield he played it tight. Is he leaving the door open for a return in the January transfer window or not playing games with the media?
Klopp said: “Nothing to say. Whatever I say would open more stories and there is no story.”
More from Rush The Kop
- Set to return, Virgil Van Dijk facing heavy criticism back home
- Liverpool making late comebacks all the rage once again
- Wolves tilt gives Klopp opportunity to tinker with lineup following international duty
- Players to watch in the matchup with Wolves
- Predicting Liverpool’s Next Five Premier League Fixtures
He clearly doesn’t want to talk about it. Which means it is either potentially true or totally ridiculous. The rest of his comments suggest the latter:
“That is something I don’t want to talk about. I would not say it is a potential transfer or a likely one.”
Liverpool sold Coutinho to Barcelona just over a year ago. They have not replaced him directly in the squad. The additions of Naby Keita and Xherdan Shaqiri have gone some way to cover for his loss but they are not direct replacements.
The transfer prospect of Nabil Fekir – that fell through in dramatic fashion – would have been the one to take the number 10 role. Therefore Liverpool still have a need for a player who can connect the hard-working midfield to the fluent front three.
Coutinho has since found himself a bit player at the Nou Camp. He has largely featured from the bench over the last few months; unable to supplant Ousmane Dembele in the forward positions or Arthur in the midfield trio.
However it is hugely unlikely Liverpool move to bring him back to Anfield. The relationship between the two clubs is strained after the underhand tactic the Catalonians employed to get Coutinho in the first place.
The return of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to training has been a boost to the squad. He should be available in March for first team consideration. That means a dip into the transfer market is highly unlikely at this point.