Sadio Mane has described teammate Philippe Coutinho as one of Liverpool “best players”, and has said how he was relieved that the Brazilian’s move to Barcelona over the summer failed to go through, as reported by the Mirror.
The saga surrounding Coutinho and his proposed move to Barcelona was one of the most dramatic sagas of the summer, with the Merseyside club rejected three bids from the Catalan giants, the highest one being £114M according to the Mirror, as the Reds looked to keep hold of one of their star players.
Coutinho’s teammate Mane, who is currently serving a three-match ban following a dangerous tackle on Man City ‘keeper Ederson in Liverpool’s 5-0 loss to the Citizens earlier this month, has said that was crucial for Liverpool to keep hold of Coutinho over the summer, as per the Mirror.
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Speaking about Coutinho and his importance to Liverpool, Mane said that “It was not only important to me, but also to the whole club, that Phil is staying here. He is one of our best players, an important player, and we are happy to see him stay with us”
Coutinho made his return to action for Liverpool in their game against Burnley on Saturday, however the 25-year-old failed to make an impact and was even subbed off in the 78th minute as his side failed to beat Sean Dyche’s side.
With Coutinho now back in the Liverpool team, it remains to be seen whether the Brazilian will be able to get back to his best following a frantic summer.