Former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho is still linked to his return to the Premier League.
Coutinho has emerged as a key Reds player after joining Inter Milan for £ 8.5 million in January 2013.
The Brazilian playmaker made 201 appearances for Liverpool in all competitions, scoring 54 goals and providing 43 assists. He left Anfield in January 2018 and signed a contract for Barcelona in a club contract of 142 million pounds.
The move did not go according to plan, Coutinho borrowed Bayern Munich last season after failing to establish himself at the Nou Camp.
The 26-year-old received a tip during the summer transfer window, and Arsenal and Chelsea are interested.
However, Coutinho eventually stayed put and was part of Barcelona’s plans under new boss Ronald Koeman.
Speculation about his future has remained, however, with Barca in financial trouble and news emerging on Tuesday that Liverpool have finally received the full £ 142 million transfer fee for the playmaker.
A return to Liverpool seems unlikely, but here’s what Coutinho has said about his former club, the Premier League and his situation since leaving Merseyside.
The arrival of Barcelona and the fight
At the signing for Barcelona, he said: “I want to thank the president and all those who made the signing possible.
“I’m very happy, it’s a dream come true and I hope to meet all expectations on the field.”
A month later, Coutinho told Spanish television station 8TV: “Everyone knows I wanted to come to Barcelona. It wasn’t possible in the summer, but we worked so it could be done in the winter.
“I really want to win big titles, that was one of the reasons I signed for the club. I want to win as many of them as possible, I have no preferences.”
After his first season at Barcelona, Coutinho revealed that life after Liverpool did not go as he had hoped.
“I haven’t had a good season,” Marci admitted. “My performances were much worse than I expected.
“The only way to improve and gain confidence is to work hard, and I’ve worked hard.”
Honor Thiago
During the loan in Bayern’s last term, Coutinho paid tribute to his teammate Thiago Alcantara – now in Liverpool.
He told Bundesliga.com: “Thiago helped me a lot with his language. He helped me every day on and off the field. Everyone welcomed us great – the people at the club, the fans, the players and the staff. He welcomed us all warmly.
“It was exactly the same experience for Ivan (Perisic) and Mica (Cuisance). We felt very welcome here. In return, we feel very comfortable because of that. I think that’s the principle of the club. I feel like family.”
In the same interview, he told the German top: “I think the Bundesliga is very similar to the Premier League in terms of game intensity.
“Matches are always very even. Every team fights to the very end, for every single ball. Every ball is a war. That makes the games very intense. There’s not much room to think or hesitate on the ball. While in La Liga, teams tend to to play more defensively against Barcelona.
“They gave us more space to play, but it was hard to break the defense. Those are the main differences I’ve experienced. I think the Bundesliga is very similar in intensity to the Premier League.”
Klopp’s influence
Asked how important Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was in his playing development, Coutinho replied: “Klopp – I have no words to say. He is a great coach and he is exceptional in what he does.
“I spent a very pleasant period of my life with him and I was able to learn a lot.
“He always pays attention to very fine details. But his main strength is that he is extremely concentrated and has managed to transform the club he is with today.” Everything is in the mentality and always remains fully concentrated. I will always carry that with me. It was very important. “
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Return to the Premier League?
In one of his most recent interviews, Coutinho did not rule out the possibility of one day playing in the Premier League again.
“The Premier League is one of the most exciting leagues in the world and having the opportunity to play there with a team like Liverpool will always be something I will be grateful for,” he told World Soccer.
“It’s impossible to say what might or may not happen in the future – but what I do know is that my only focus right now is on success with Barcelona.”
Coutinho also commented on Bayern’s loan and explained his focus on Barcelona this season.
“I’ve won three trophies, including the Bundesliga and the Champions League, so I don’t think that (his time at Bayern) can be anything other than success,” he added.
“Winning the Champions League has always been a big ambition for me and winning it with Bayern was a big deal. Now my ambition is to win it with Barcelona. I will always remember and be grateful for my time and success there, but now I am back in Barcelona and that’s my focus. “