		<div class="wpcnt">
			<div class="wpa">
				<span class="wpa-about">Advertisements</span>
				<div class="u top_amp">
							<amp-ad width="300" height="265"
		 type="pubmine"
		 data-siteid="111265417"
		 data-section="1">
		</amp-ad>
				</div>
			</div>
		</div><p>Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has put thoughts of wantaway Philippe Coutinho out of his mind as he concentrates on the vitally-important Champions League play-off against Hoffenheim.</p>
<p>The Brazil international submitted a transfer request on Friday just a couple of hours after club owners Fenway Sports Group issued a statement insisting he would not be sold after two unsuccessful bids from Barcelona.</p>
<p>Coutinho is currently sidelined with a back injury which has delayed his start to the new season &#8211; he did not travel with the squad to Germany &#8211; and Klopp insists until the 25-year-old is fit again he cannot waste time thinking about him and his position.</p>
<p><i>&#8220;There&#8217;s nothing to say about it. I really understand everybody is interested in it, but at this moment I&#8217;m not thinking about it,&#8221;</i> he said.</p>
<p><i>&#8220;I will answer questions but I&#8217;m not in the car, on the way to this press conference, thinking, &#8216;If they ask this question, what can I say?&#8217;, because I have to think about the (training) session in a few minutes.</p>
<p>&#8220;It was always like this. I work with the players I have, I don&#8217;t think about the players I don&#8217;t have at the moment.</p>
<p>&#8220;If they&#8217;re injured, whatever, you cannot change, it&#8217;s the same situation for me.</p>
<p>&#8220;I think I&#8217;ve said everything you can say about it, if you want to ask do, but I have no more answers.</p>
<p>&#8220;Nothing has changed over the last few days. Not on one side, not on the other side.</p>
<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m not sure what you&#8217;re asking for as he&#8217;s not available for us at this moment, that&#8217;s the main issue.</p>
<p>&#8220;He cannot play for Liverpool in this moment and how everybody can imagine, that&#8217;s quite a blow for us.</p>
<p>&#8220;We know a few days about it, so we have been able to prepare for this game without him, like we have been able to prepare without Adam Lallana, without Daniel Sturbridge.&#8221;</i></p>
<p>Coutinho dominated proceedings in Hoffenheim despite being more than 700 miles away on Merseyside.</p>
<p>With just over two weeks remaining of the transfer window Liverpool are adamant he will not be leaving despite suggestions growing of the player&#8217;s discontent.</p>
<p>Captain Jordan Henderson admits despite his position he is powerless to effect the way Coutinho, who has become an integral part of the team, is thinking.</p>
<p><i>&#8220;It is obviously a difficult situation for Phil. Whatever I say will not help the situation but as players, we are fully focused on the game,&#8221;</i> he said.</p>
<p><i>&#8220;As players, you expect things in the transfer window to happen and players come and go.</p>
<p>&#8220;Of course, if you ask everyone, they want Phil to stay as he is a world class player. I have had conversations with Phil it is private (but) I don&#8217;t think I can influence the situation.</p>
<p>&#8220;I am close to him and I have a lot of respect for him but everything that happens is nothing to do with me.&#8221;</i></p>
<p>The Coutinho issue continues to overshadow what is a pivotal week for Klopp&#8217;s side.</p>
<p>Having finished fourth last season they knew they would have to face a play-off to make the Champions League proper but being drawn against Hoffenheim, who finished fourth in the Bundesliga, presents a difficult task.</p>
<p>Victory in the tie is worth an initial £13m and should they make the group stage Liverpool would expect to receive at least £35m.</p>
<p>Klopp did offer some good news on the fitness of Sturridge but, unfortunately for him, it will not help him in Germany.</p>
<p><i>&#8220;(Sturridge) is in a good way. We had a talk this morning, he is really close, he looked good yesterday,&#8221;</i> said the Reds boss.</p>
<p><i>&#8220;Two more sessions and he will be available for the weekend.&#8221;</i></p>
			<div style="padding-bottom:15px;" class="wordads-tag" data-slot-type="belowpost">
				<div id="atatags-dynamic-belowpost-68ed1a1a6418d">
					<script type="text/javascript">
						window.getAdSnippetCallback = function () {
							if ( false === ( window.isWatlV1 ?? false ) ) {
								// Use Aditude scripts.
								window.tudeMappings = window.tudeMappings || [];
								window.tudeMappings.push( {
									divId: 'atatags-dynamic-belowpost-68ed1a1a6418d',
									format: 'belowpost',
								} );
							}
						}

						if ( document.readyState === 'loading' ) {
							document.addEventListener( 'DOMContentLoaded', window.getAdSnippetCallback );
						} else {
							window.getAdSnippetCallback();
						}
					</script>
				</div>
			</div>
Discover more from London Glossy Post
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
