Despite qualifying for the group stages of the Champions League this week, it doesn’t seem as though Philippe Coutinho has any intention to withdraw his transfer request at Liverpool.
On the eve of the Premier League season, the Brazilian submitted a request to leave the club with Barcelona interested in signing him.
And that is still the case even though the Catalan club have just spent £133.5 million on Ousmane Dembele as they attempt to replace Neymar.
With less than a week remaining of the transfer window, the situation needs to be resolved.
Coutinho is yet to play for Liverpool this season after suffering a ‘sore back’ and now picking up an ‘illness’.
Of course, these could just be excuses as he forces a move away from Anfield. But Jurgen Klopp and the club are remaining adamant that their player won’t be leaving and have rejected any bids from Barca.
Latest report from Spain
However, the latest report from Spanish outlet Marca suggests things have changed.
They claim: “In the last hours, however, the Reds have opened a door and are not as inflexible as they have been shown to be over the summer.”
And Liverpool’s stance may have changed because of Coutinho’s attitude.
The 25-year-old is simply refusing to accept that his dream move won’t happen this summer and continuing to push through his exit.
What Coutinho has done
And he’s done something that proves he no longer wants to play for Liverpool.
That’s because he’s apparently asked the club not to be included in the Champions League squad list.
After the Reds qualified for the group stages of the competition by beating Hoffenheim 6-3 on aggregate, they were drawn against Sevilla, Spartak Moscow and Maribor.
However, as Klopp beings to prepare for their European campaign, Coutinho has told him he doesn’t want to be considered.
Coutinho’s threat to leave the club has just got serious and Klopp now has a real problem on his hands ahead of the close of the transfer window.
We certainly haven’t heard the end of this saga just yet.