Liverpool news: Philippe Coutinho begins reintegration after failed Barcelona transfer

Coutinho arrived at Melwood earlier this afternoon for the first time since he failed to secure a transfer to Barcelona.

Coutinho submitted a transfer request the day the Premier League started - Friday 11 August - after a £90m bid had been turned down.

Barcelona returned with offers believed to have reached £148m by deadline day but were unable to convince Liverpool to sell.

Coutinho was desperate to move and is understood to be frustrated and angry at having the transfer blocked.

He was in Brazil as the transfer windows in both England and Spain slammed shut, watching on, hoping to get the dream move to Barcelona. 

But FSG, Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool stood strong. They knocked back every offer and kept their man.

Klopp believes he can be reintegrated to the side and have an impact on the season - with Champions League football returning to Anfield.

But reports - in Spain, typically - have suggested Coutinho doesn’t want to play for the club, and may even refuse to play in the Champions League so he can stay eligible for the knockout rounds if he seals the move in January.

Coutinho is yet to play this season, with Klopp claiming an injury has prevented him, but scored for Brazil during the international break.

Liverpool have looked fluid and impressive in his absence and may opt to leave him out entirely for the trip to the Etihad on Saturday.

He is unlikely to walk straight back into the starting Xi with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah combining with Roberto Firmino to devastating effect against Arsenal in the last match.

Coutinho was Liverpool’s best player last term, and remains their biggest asset, but without him they appear capable.

But, having blocked the move despite the incredible figures on offer, Liverpool will expect a return from the 25-year-old.

And the work on that starts today with his first training session back with the club.

Liverpool will hope Coutinho returns as a man on a mission to convince Barcelona to come back in for him in January or next summer, rather than a man deflated by missing out on his dream move.

That is the gamble they’ve taken. It can go either way, as shown when they held onto Luis Suarez for another year. But it can also backfire, as when West Ham kept Dimitri Payet for six months too long.