Liverpool Boss Jurgen Klopp Refuses to Be Drawn on Philippe Coutinho as Barça Links Intensify

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has refused to be drawn on the Philippe Coutinho Barcelona situation, with the January transfer window now officially open.

Coutinho put in a transfer request last summer in a bid to encourage Liverpool to sell him to the Catalans, but the Reds stood firm in the face three big money offers - the last being one in the region of £116m.

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There is every expectation, certainly in the eyes of all major UK and Spanish news publications, that the Blaugrana will come back in for the player this winter, but talks are yet to commence between the two parties.

Klopp has had a lot to say on the Brazilian's potential move to Spain in the past, but now that the window is open he is being very cautious with his words.

As quoted by Melissa Reddy, Goal's Liverpool correspondent, he said: "All the things I could say now would just create stories, so I have nothing to say about it. It's the transfer window, that's all. There's nothing I could say that would help me, the player or the club."

Coutinho has been in great form this season despite the continuous speculation over his future. He has scored 12 goals and made eight assists in all competitions so far, but is currently out injured after sustaining a thigh problem.

That caused him to miss the 2-1 win over Burnley on New Year's Day, and the playmaker will not feature against Everton in the FA Cup, causing further speculation that he has played his final game for the club - Barça are supposedly readying a monster offer in the region of £140m.