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Liverpool transfer news: Jurgen Klopp rejected Philippe Coutinho demand before Barca move
LIVERPOOL boss Jurgen Klopp rejected a Philippe Coutinho demand before he joined Barcelona in January, it has been claimed.
Coutinho demonstrates outrageous skill on defender at Anfield
Liverpool boss Klopp lost Coutinho to Barcelona in January with the player moving to the Nou Camp in a huge £142million transfer.
That came just months after the player had handed in a transfer request to try and force a move.
Liverpool are yet to replace Coutinho who, despite joining Barcelona just seven months ago, has been tipped to leave for Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain.
And Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo say that, in August last year, Klopp and Coutinho met to discuss his future.
It is claimed that Coutinho demanded Klopp let him go.
However, the Liverpool boss refused and told his star performer he had to see the season out.
This was because Barcelona were flatly failing to meet Liverpool’s asking price with the Reds, at the time, wanting around £160m to give up their star asset.
But Mundo Deportivo say Liverpool changed their stance when Barca agreed to pay £142m.
That made Coutinho the third most-expensive player on the planet, behind Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.
Meanwhile, the Barcelona star has opened up on Brazil’s World Cup exit.
Coutinho sparks OUTRAGE from Liverpool fans in message
Tite’s side were beaten 2-1 by Belgium on Friday as a Fernandinho own-goal and Kevin De Bruyne found the net.
And Coutinho said: “We wanted to go all the way to the final but we’ve given our best shot. Everyone gave everything,” Coutinho told SporTV.
“I’m sure we will be beaten up by criticism from all sides. Life goes on, that’s football.
“You win and you lose. We’re sad because we wanted to win badly, like all Brazil. Unfortunately, we couldn’t.”
Liverpool have earmarked Nabil Fekir and Paulo Dybala as Coutinho replacements.