Coutinho to Barca could be off
Sources in Spain are reporting that the Coutinho saga could be over as Barcelona have apparently ended their interest in the Brazilian playmaker. This is following Liverpool missing the deadline, issued by the Catalan side, to once and for all make a decision. The deadline was Sunday, and as the Reds stayed decisively quiet over the weekend it has been suggested that Barcelona have turned their attentions elsewhere. Another reported target is Angel di Maria, which is a deal that would see the Argentinian go in the opposite direction to world-record signing, Neymar Jr.
However, I wouldn’t be celebrating just yet, as Coutinho’s mysterious back injury continues to trouble him. It is unlikely that he will feature in the second leg of the Champions League qualifier with Hoffenheim on Wednesday, as his back is still “sore”. One thing is for certain, Liverpool fans will only be able to rest easy once the window is well and truly shut.
Draxler NOT a target
Jurgen Klopp has stated that Julian Draxler is not a target for Liverpool Football Club. The German, who has been linked with the club in the past, could be on his way out of PSG this summer and many sources have been claiming that Liverpool are one of the sides doing battle for his signature. However, Klopp has made it clear that he is happy with his attacking options having already strengthened his strike force this window. This being said, should Coutinho make an exit from Anfield, Liverpool may be forced into making another big-name signing.
No decision on Kent’s loan deal
Youngster Ryan Kent spent last season on loan with Championship side Barnsley. He enjoyed a very successful spell there, which culminated in him being named their Young Player of the Season. It has been expected that a similar deal was going to be made for the 2017/18 campaign, as regular game time is believed to be needed to help further the winger’s development. Despite a number of Championship clubs interested again, it looked as though Kent was going to be headed to the Bundesliga when he tweeted “Ich kann nicht warten” (I cannot wait), on Sunday. The tweet was quickly deleted and Klopp is yet to make a final decision. Apparently, the Boss is undecided about whether Kent would benefit more from a loan spell, or being on the fringes of the first team for a year. If Kent was to head to Germany, Hannover 96 are the favourites at this stage to sign the Englishman.