Jurgen Klopp Reveals Liverpool Players Have Welcomed Philippe Coutinho Back Into Fold

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp appears to have suggested that Philippe Coutinho has been welcomed back into the fold by the rest of the Reds squad, despite actively trying to leave the club over the summer, because his colleagues all understand the pull of Barcelona.

Klopp also joked that they might not have been so forgiving had he been pining for Everton.

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"Do I think that somebody could have (a problem)? Most of them are friends for many years," Klopp is quoted as saying by the Liverpool Echo ahead the clash with Manchester City.

"There was nothing. We spoke about it and it has nothing to do with the team, that is very important for all of us, it is nothing to do with fans and all that stuff," he added.

Liverpool rejected up to four huge bids from Barcelona - the last reportedly getting close to £140m - while the player himself went as far as submitting a transfer request. But as far as Klopp sees it, nobody will begrudge him pushing for such a move to happen.

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"100% if a club like Barcelona is around then nobody says 'are you crazy, what do you want to go there for?'" the Reds boss explained.

"Everyone has this little bit of understanding and think 'okay, it's Barcelona' - it is not that he wants to go to Everton. Then it would have been a different situation."

Coutinho hasn't played for Liverpool yet this season as a result of a back injury. He featured and scored for Brazil during the international break, but Klopp has decided against putting him straight back into the Liverpool team after a disrupted pre-season has left him lacking fitness.

It means Coutinho has been left out of the squad to face City, but fans will be hoping he will back in action as early as next week when Champions League football returns to the calendar.