Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona: Liverpool could lose player in January - Evans

Coutinho failed to secure a move to Barcelona this summer despite handing in a transfer request.

Liverpool refused to sell the player, with Barca claiming they wanted £183m for a deadline day deal.

Liverpool deny they even asked for that, insisting the Brazilian was never for sale at any price.

Coutinho will head back to Liverpool once he’s done with his international duties in Brazil.

And former Reds boss Evans says the player must get his head down and work hard if he is ever to get that move to Barcelona.

“At the end of the day the World Cup is coming up and he has to get in the Brazil team,” Evans told talkSPORT.

“Hopefully he has an honest style about him and will think: ‘OK, I’ll accept the decision that Liverpool don’t want to sell me and I’ll play my best’.

“When the time comes he might get his chance in six months or a year’s time to move to Barcelona.

“I’m sure we’ve improved him in many ways since he’s come to Liverpool and he’s become one of our top players.

“It’s an exciting time to be at Liverpool. Jurgen [Klopp] has spent a lot of money on players.

“And certainly going forward we look a real force and I think we have a chance of starting to win trophies.