Liverpool don’t need Philippe Coutinho and should NOT move to re-sign him from Barcelona this summer.
That’s according to former Reds striker Dean Saunders, who insists the Brazil ace hasn’t been missed at Anfield since leaving in January 2018.
Coutinho has been linked with a move away from Barca just 18 months after his £142million move to the Nou Camp.
The 27-year-old has 21 goals and 11 assists in 76 games for the LaLiga champions, but it appears the jury is still out over his long-term future at the club.
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According to reports, Barca are willing to sell Coutinho if a club stumps up £100m this summer – and Liverpool are said to be keen on bringing him back to Anfield.
But Saunders insists they don’t need him, saying it was ‘great business’ from the club to sell the Brazilian for such a hefty fee and reinvest that money into the squad.
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“Liverpool haven’t missed him,” the Welshman said on Tuesday’s Sports Breakfast. “They lost one game all season and lost the league by one point when Man City won each of their last 14 games, so they didn’t bottle it.
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“Positionally have they missed him? No.
“[Sadio] Mane, [Mohamed] Salah and [Roberto] Firmino are the front three, and [Divock] Origi and [Xherdan] Shaqiri have come in and done their bit.
“If you were critical, they may be lacking a really inventive midfield player. [Georginio] Wijnaldum, [Jordan] Henderson, [James] Milner, Fabinho – they’re all workman like.
“But I think we’ll see more of [Naby] Keita this season; he was brought in to carry the ball, go into the last third and make things happen.
“What a good deal it was – they sold Coutinho for £142m and they signed [Virgil] van Dijk, Fabinho, Keita, Shaqiri, Alisson… and won the Champions League!
“Great business, well done Jurgen Klopp!
“You get lots of criticism in football, but that was a good move.”