Jurgen Klopp hints transfers are 'about timing', as Liverpool snub Philippe Coutinho's request to join Barcelona
The Brazilian told the Reds of his desire to leave via email on Friday
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Jurgen Klopp has hinted that Liverpool will not let Philippe Coutinho leave the club to join Barcelona because it is too late in the transfer window to replace him.
The Reds have so far rejected two approaches from the La Liga giants for the playmaker and were forced to release a statement on Friday morning insisting they would not let Coutinho leave the club.
However, Coutinho has since emailed the club informing them of his desire to leave Anfield for the Nou Camp, with sources close to the Brazilian telling The Independent of his devastation that the move may not materialise.
Liverpool’s determination to hold on to Coutinho, as they did with Suarez in 2013 before allowing him to leave the following year, could cause Barca to target Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen instead.
And Klopp suggested that he may have been open to selling his No 10 had the desire to move come earlier in the summer, leaving him time to find a replacement.
“I had to sell a lot of players in my managerial career,” Klopp said ahead of the Premier League opener against Watford. “Some had clauses, some had no clauses; we had the Lewandowski thing and that was difficult when he went to Bayern then on a free transfer.
“A lot of different things. The only thing I can say about this is that in life everything is about timing – whichever club asks early enough. It’s like how we do it. If we ask early enough, we try to do it. If you ask early enough, you can either switch the plan of whatever.
“But you cannot come up, close to the start of the season and things like this. It’s like I said: the club is bigger than anybody. That is the most important thing. It’s about doing it in the right moment. It’s how we do it when we want to bring players in.
“Most of the other clubs come to us and say ‘by the way, we have a good player, do you want to buy him’. That is how it is. It is about timing. That is how I understand. And that is all I have to say. Maybe everybody has a price – in the right moment. In the wrong moment? No price.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments