The One Where Philippe Coutinho Hints at a January Transfer

Did you enjoy Liverpool’s thorough demolition of Spartak Moscow to secure their place in the Champions League knockout rounds for the first time since the 2008-09 season? Good, because now it’s time to talk about how Philippe Coutinho could be heading to Barcelona in January.

Or maybe just how he might try to. Or at least how they might try to get him there. Or something. The long and short of it is we’re talking Coutinho and Barcelona, one of whom is said to be planning to move for him again and the other of whom won’t rule anything out while there’s a chance they might.

“I do not know what the future is going to be,” said Coutinho following last night’s 7-0 victory when asked if his own future would include at least finishing the current season at Liverpool. “What will happen in January we will know it in January. I do not know if there will be an offer.

“I am at Liverpool and I always do my best when I have the opportunity to play, respecting the jersey and the supporters. Last summer there was a job offer and in the same way that happens with any employee I was interested in it. Since I stayed, I have played with will and desire.”

Well. That’s maybe not the worst. I mean, if he’s going to play like last night regardless what happens, great. And I suppose one can’t knock him for honesty. But it can’t help but rankle a little that a key player won’t commit to staying at least until the end of the season.

Especially after Liverpool punched their ticket to the knockout rounds, on a night Coutinho wore the armband, would an “I don’t know what the future holds but I know I want to see what I can achieve with my teammates in the Champions League this season” have been so hard?

Coutinho will leave Liverpool in the not too distant future, that much seems simple fact at this stage. It seems a stretch, though, to see the club happily agreeing his January sale, which could mean that another major distraction for Klopp and the club is on the horizon.