The attacking midfielder is yet to make an appearance for
the Reds after handing in a transfer request
Former Barca star
Neymar and potential future Catalan forward Coutinho enjoys his return to
international duty
Philippe Coutinho appears to be
revelling in being back with his Brazil team-mates in images that could delight
or infuriate Liverpool fans.
The star forward hasn't
reported for duty with the Reds this campaign after suffering a back injury,
which speculation raged about his likely move to Barcelona.
The Catalans have had three bids for Coutinho rejected by Liverpool with the
latest approaching £120million.
The Anfield club insist he
isn't for sale and Barca are growing impatient having now completed moves for
Ousmane Dembele and Paulinho.
But laughing and smiling at
training with former Barca ace Neymar, who the club lost in a £199m deal to
Paris Saint-Germain, Coutinho appears ready for action.
Philippe Coutinho trains with Brazil on Monday
in Porto Alegre
Coutinho
hasn't trained with his Liverpool teammates since complaining about a back
injury after their friendly with Bayern Munich at the beginning of the month.
But
the former Inter Milan ace is set to face Ecuador with his international
team, as originally reported by the Liverpool Echo.
Coutinho linked up with the
Brazil squad in Porto Alegre on Monday where he was assessed by their medical
staff.
Brazil
doctor Rodrigo Lasmar added: “From a medical point of view, Philippe is in the
perfect condition to play.”
Coutinho is likely to start
against Ecuador in the early hours of Friday morning. Tite’s side also take on
Colombia in another World Cup qualifier on September 5.
Jurgen Klopp expected Coutinho
to link up with Brazil but indicated that he wouldn’t be fit enough to feature.
“If he
goes there and can train, I don’t think he can, but they will decide,” Klopp
said.
“It’s in the hands of the
specific FA. They make their own decisions.
“Are we always happy with
things like that? No, not always in the past. Sometimes players come back after
a small injury, go to their national team and play two games. But it’s the same
procedure as always.”
Coutinho has joined a host of
players in his national team who have completed big moves in the summer.
Neymar,
of course, went to PSG in a record £199m deal.
He joined compatriots Thiago
Silva and Dani Alves, who moved in the summer from Juventus.
Paulinho has also made a shock
move from China to Barcelona, who are desperately trying to re-inject the
talent lost in the Neymar move.
