Coutinho agent plays down Man United rumor

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“I would be very difficult for Philippe to play for any of Liverpool’s rivals, because he has such a great affinity towards Liverpool.”

Philippe Coutinho’s agent, Kia Joorabchian, has played down rumors linking the Brazilian’s move to Manchester United, in an interview with TalkSPORT.

In addition, Joorabchian has said Coutinho is not packing his bags just yet:

“I don’t know about those stories,” Joorabchian told Jim White in response to the latest Liverpool rumours.

“Bartomeu was very clear with me, saying he doesn’t want the player to leave and he has a future there.

“They made a tremendous effort to bring him over, he is Barcelona’s most expensive signing in history and the second or third most expensive signing in the world.

“He had an amazing Copa America, he was rated in the team of the Copa America, he won the Copa America with Brazil and he’s won three trophies since he’s been at Barcelona in the last two years – so he’s had a great time there.

“As things happen in football, sometimes players feel a bit uncomfortable about somewhere, sometimes it’s the clubs that just don’t quite fit.

“If that happens obviously we’ll decide what’s best for Philippe, but at the moment we’re being told that’s not happening, it’s fine.”

The agent said that while United was a “great club,” it would be “extremely difficult to a near-impossible move,” for Coutinho to go there.

“I would be very difficult for Philippe to play for any of Liverpool’s rivals, because he has such a great affinity towards Liverpool. His time there was fantastic... like all big players at some point, you want to experience a different thing in your career because your career is very short, but it [his Anfield exit] has no reflection on the fact his heart and affinity is very much with Liverpool.”

Coutinho’s preferred destination, if he were to leave for the Premier League, would be Liverpool, Joorabchian said.

“Obviously if he were to move back [to the Premier League], it would have to be Liverpool, but at the moment I think it would be difficult and it would be up to them.”

Source: barcablaugranes.com