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Liverpool transfer news: Coutinho could have been sold if targets had signed - Carragher
PHILIPPE COUTINHO will stay at Liverpool this summer, according to former Reds defender Jamie Carragher.
Joey Barton: I think Liverpool should sell Coutinho
Coutinho, 25, has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona as they look to find a replacement for Neymar, who signed for Paris Saint-Germain in a world-record £200million deal.
The La Liga giants have lodged three bids for the Brazil international, but all of them have been rejected by Liverpool.
Philippe Coutinho himself has handed in a transfer request and is pushing for a move to the Nou Camp.
But Sky Sports pundit Carragher reckons he will remain at Anfield.
Liverpool's three big targets of Van Dijk, Keita and Salah. If they'd got them in the door, I'm not saying yes to selling Coutinho but it may have been easier to prise him away
However, he admits that if Jurgen Klopp struck all three deals for top targets Mohamed Salah, Naby Keita and Virgil Van Dijk, the prospect of losing Coutinho to Barcelona would not have been the worst idea.
Asked by Gary Neville if Liverpool will hold on to Coutinho, Carragher said: "Well they will now of course. I don't think there's any doubt now. I said it a few weeks ago that they can't sell him.
“The problem is it becomes more political than the actual business side of things.
“Liverpool have had such a poor window they couldn't be seen to let him go.
Philippe Coutinho could've been sold if Liverpool signed their top targets - Jamie Carragher
“Liverpool's three big targets of Van Dijk, Keita and Salah. If they'd got them in the door, I'm not saying yes to selling Coutinho but it may have been easier to prise him away.
“Even Liverpool supporters may have thought '£120million for Philippe Coutinho? We can still go and spend that in two or three weeks to go'.
“But they were never going to sell him on the fact that they haven't brought enough players in.”
Coutinho failed to feature in Liverpool's 1-0 win over Crystal Palace due to a back injury.
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