Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has spoken after finally losing his top player to Barcelona.
Klopp said that they did what they could to try and keep Philippe Coutinho but that the player could not be swayed in his wish to join Barcelona.
The Catalan club officially announced the signing of the Brazilian in a five-year deal yesterday, for a fee believed to be 160 million euros, including 40 million performance related.
Klopp told the Liverpool website that, “Philippe was insistent with me, the owners and even his teammates this was a move he was desperate to make happen.”
“Despite that we managed to keep the player here beyond the summer window hoping that we would be able to persuade him to stay and be part of what we are looking to do.”
“I can tell the Liverpool supporters that we, as a club, have done everything within our means to convince Philippe that remaining part of LFC was as attractive as moving to Spain, but he is 100% certain his future, and that of his family, belongs at Barcelona.”
“It is his dream and I am now convinced there is nothing left at our disposal to change his mind.”
Klopp also thanked Coutinho for what he had done for the club.
He said, “Philippe has made a fantastic contribution to this club over his five years of service and as disappointed as we are he doesn’t want to extend that, the relationship we have for him means with a heavy heart we wish him well.”
“The player remained dedicated and committed to helping us win matches, producing good performances and training hard each day at Melwood after the summer window had closed, despite failing to convince us to allow him to leave during that period and that level of professionalism reflects positively on him.”