Liverpool players understood Coutinho desire – Wijnaldum

Matt Stead

Georginio Wijnaldum says that he and his Liverpool teammates all understood Philippe Coutinho’s desire to leave for Barcelona in the summer.

Coutinho was the subject of three bids from Barca during the latest transfer window, with the player handing in a transfer request in an attempt to force the move.

Liverpool rejected each offer and the request itself however, insisting that they did not wish to lose one of their best players.

Opening up on the situation, Wijnaldum explains that Coutinho’s teammates all “understood why he wanted to make the move”.

“On one side we would have been happy for him if he could have gone as he really wanted to make the move, but on the other side as team-mates you want him to stay because you know with Phil because we’ll be better,” he told the Liverpool Echo.

“There were two thoughts in your head. You can see it from both sides. Someone was going to be disappointed at the end of the transfer window and it was Phil.

“It was difficult. Phil is a really good person and we understood why he wanted to make the move.

“He’s someone who has always given everything for Liverpool. He has done a great job fighting for Liverpool.”