Liverpool: Coutinho could still depart; Hull move for £10million target; Klopp reacts to Southampton defeat

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Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher gave fans a reality check last night as he insisted that despite signing a new five-year deal, Philippe Coutinho could still leave Anfield in the near future. He said:

“We’ve had plenty of players in the past Liverpool who have signed big contracts then moved on. If Coutinho wasn’t happy he wouldn’t sign a contract. We hear there’s no release clause which again doesn’t mean everything. Liverpool are no different to every other club in world football besides two. If Barcelona or Real Madrid come for one of your players and pay what you want, they’re going, because 99 per cent of players want to play for those two clubs. If that happens, it means, if they’re unbelievable for Liverpool, then you have to thank him, as we did with Luis Suarez.”

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Such a move would see Coutinho follow in the footsteps of his former teammate Suarez, who signed a new contract only months before he left the club to move to the Camp Nou. At least the club can have some consolation that they would not be forced into a cut-price deal even if Coutinho does seek an exit.

The Daily Mail report that Hull are preparing a move worth £10.3 million for Genk winger Leon Bailey, a target for Liverpool. The 19-year-old has excelled in Belgium and is attracting intention from a number of Premier League clubs, including both Merseyside clubs. The Jamaican is valued at £20 million, but Hull could test the club’s resolve this month.

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New manager Marcos Silva is keen to reinvest using some of the funds that he has received from the sale of Jake Livermore and the potential sale of Robert Snodgrass, and a move for Bailey would reflect their ambition for survival this season.

However, the real disappointment for the Reds was at Anfield last night as the club bombed out of the EFL Cup at almost the final hurdle as Southampton secured a 1-0 away victory to take them to Wembley, where they will face either Hull or Manchester United. Jurgen Klopp discussed the game, saying:

“I’m disappointed, there’s big disappointment. First of all, big congratulations to Southampton – they won both legs so deserve to go to the final, but I think especially in the game tonight we could have won [the tie], that’s why I am disappointed… The performance was absolutely OK – we created the chances. Now everybody wants to say, ‘but you didn’t score’ and that’s right, absolutely right. But for me as a coach, it is very important the way we choose to create chances and that was absolutely OK.”

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With the club’s only victory so far in 2017 having come against League 2 Plymouth by only a one goal margin, the team’s form is worrying but Klopp clearly remains upbeat.

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