Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp refuses to rule out Philippe Coutinho exit in January
JURGEN KLOPP admits there are no guarantees that Philippe Coutinho will still be a Liverpool player in February.
Posted Wednesday, December 06, 2017 by Dailystar.co.uk
Philippe Coutinho has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona
Barcelona had three bids rejected in the summer, including an offer of £119m, for the Brazil playmaker, who had a transfer request turned down in August.
The 25-year-old has been in excellent form recently, scoring a cheeky free-kick in Saturday's 5-1 win at Brighton by rolling the ball under a jumping wall.
And he is set to play a key role again as Liverpool attempt to reach the Champions League knockout stages for the first time since 2009 by seeing off Spartak Moscow.
Asked what made him sure that Coutinho would still be at Anfield after January's transfer window, boss Klopp said: "Nothing – but I don't think about it, I think about the Moscow game.
"Not for one second have I thought about that so far. I am not unsure, I am not sure, I don't think about it.
"I have a team to prepare and no-one knows what will happen in the nice and calm January transfer window.
"It's nice from an outside view but I have absolutely nothing to say."
Klopp has always previously insisted that Coutinho is not for sale at any price.
Coutinho is under contract until 2022, but Barca are expected to try again in the new year.
Liverpool will finish top of Group E with a win tonight, and will definitely go through with a draw.
But losing would send them tumbling into the Europa League if Sevilla avoid defeat against bottom club Maribor.
Klopp said: "It is a proper final. It is all or nothing. We know about the situation. They know about the situation. It's exciting."
Spartak have to win at Anfield to stay in the Champions League, and Klopp is wary of the threat from a side lying fourth in the Russian Premier League, and on a run of five matches unbeaten.
Dutch forward Quincy Promes has four goals and five assists in his past 10 games, and Klopp has compared him to Reds star Sadio Mane.
"Promes is like Sadio," Klopp said. "He can shoot very quickly and is a proper striker. That makes it different of course.
"But we are different. We are in another moment. We need to have confidence and use our stadium."
Liverpool are unbeaten in eight games and have climbed to fourth in the Premier League.
They have not lost at Anfield since Crystal Palace's shock win in April, and Mane believes they have the strength in depth now to challenge for major trophies.
He said: "I think we have the squad to win things and we are going to do our best.
"I won't lie. Every player would love to play every single game, every single weekend.
"But we have a good team and I am happy to respect the decision of the coach."
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