Jurgen Klopp the coach of Liverpool has explained to reporters that it is impossible to find a player exactly like Coutinho.
He described the Brazilian as a versatile and excellent player: “You cannot replace Phil Coutinho with exactly the same kind of player,” Klopp said.
“He’s Phil Coutinho. He has a specific style of play, tactically an outstanding player. He can play as the winger, the 10, the eight – really great.
“I don’t want to put one of my players in the position where people will say constantly, ‘He’s the Phil replacement.”
Klopp also added that the current Barcelona player would have come in handy had he been around for the Champion’s league final against Real Madrid.
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“If we still had Phil then we could have played him in the Champions League final and, when Mo [Salah] goes out injured, Phil goes on the left wing, Sadio [Mane] to the other side and bring a midfielder on.
“Then it’s a different story. That would have been nice but he wasn’t here and we wish him well.”
Klopp added: “We don’t need to replace Phil. We need to make a squad for the next year. Out there in the market, there isn’t a Phil Coutinho-light. He’s not there. But there are a lot of good players and we have brought a few of them in.”
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