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Liverpool transfer news LIVE: Follow below for updates on the latest moves at Anfield Thursday 17 August ANTONIO BACKS COUTINHO EXIT 18.55: Philippe Coutinho was right to issue Liverpool
with a transfer request to force through a move to Barcelona, according to Michail Antonio. “Can you give someone a bad name for wanting to be ambitious? For wanting to move onto bigger
things?" Antonio told talkSPORT. “In Coutinho’s spot, he handed in a transfer request. He did every single thing he possibly could do. "He stayed, he trained, he worked hard, he
stayed away from it and Liverpool say, ‘No we’re keeping him.’ “And then he handed in a transfer request because he had no other option. But he’s been the perfect servant for them for the
past three or four years. “His opportunity has arisen to take that massive step and the club are going to keep you where you are. He had no other option to do what he did." BILIC
CONFIRMS LANZINI DISCUSSIONS 17:45: Slaven Bilic has revealed he has spoken to Manuel Lanzini about reports linking him with a move to Liverpool. But the West Ham boss is adamant the
Argentina international is going nowhere - regardless of whether Philippe Coutinho stays or goes. Bilic said: “Max [Fitzgerald, the press officer] emails me these stories straight away to
shock me a bit. “We spoke about this before Manchester United, I speak to Manu every day, he is happy. “He feels at home, he feels liked. You can see it, you don’t have to talk to him, and
you can see by how he is smiling and is happy. BARCELONA DIRECTOR CONFIRMS COUTINHO WANTED 16:38: Barcelona sporting director Robert Fernandez has stated the club do want to sign Philippe
Coutinho this summer. Fernandez faced the media today at the Nou Camp at the unveiling of new signing Paulinho. He confirmed Liverpool playmaker Coutinho was wanted as well as Borussia
Dortmund star Ousmane Dembele. Fernandez said: "They [Coutinho and Dembele] are players that we are very interested in and they are important to us because we feel they would adapt well
to our team.” BALAGUE ON COUTINHO 15.30: Guillem Balague has said no talks are currently being held between Barcelona and Liverpool for Philippe Coutinho. “When last night [Barca general
manager] Pep Segura was talking about ‘deal is close’ I am pretty sure he meant only Dembele," Balague tweeted. “Segura knows Liverpool haven’t moved an inch their position on Coutinho.
They are not selling. “Despite the insistence of Catalan press about meetings this week, nothing is planned between LFC and FCB. “He mentions Coutinho and Dembele but one thing is lost in
translation. He is trying to say club want/negotiating for both. But he knows LFC are not selling at the minute.” KLOPP HITS BACK AT BARCELONA 13:23: Jurgen Klopp has hit back at comments
made by Barcelona general manager Pep Segura (05:30) that Phillipe Coutinho is “very close” to leaving Liverpool. “I don’t know why other people are saying what they’re saying. I don’t even
know him. I have never met him,” Klopp said. “We have already said what we have to say. No news from me. Nobody told me anything different since we spoke last time. “Since he had a back
problem he is not in training. I have nothing bad to say about this. “We are not silly, we know it is a very difficult situation - but there’s nothing new to say. It’s not always easy for me
to say the 100 percent truth, even if I don’t like to lie. But this time this is the situation.” LIVERPOOL EYEING COUTINHO REPLACEMENT 12:50: Liverpool have a plan in place should they sell
Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona, says Shay Given. "You'd have to think, I'm sure behind the scenes Liverpool recruitment will have a plan B," he told Sky Sports.
"They'll have a plan in place to get 'X' amount for Coutinho and they'll know roughly what they are going to get. "They'll be targeting players and if not
in this country, then around Europe, if not the world." BARCELONA NEED COUTINHO 10:37: Former Ireland star Tony Cascarino says Barcelona’s recent performances show how much they need
to sign Philippe Coutinho. “They need the likes of Coutinho and Dembele to improve the team that is on the way (down),” Cascarino said on talkSPORT. “I saw it against PSG and the defeat to
Juventus. “This is a shadow of the team it once was. (Ernesto) Valverde has come in and it’s a massive challenge. “Look at their squads, there’s no comparison now.” BARCA SUBMIT FRESH
COUTINHO BID 08:00: Barcelona have increased their offer to €130million (£118m) for Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho. Liverpool are adamant he won't be sold and have already rejected a
bid worth £90m. However, Goal claim Barca have returned to the table with an improved offer they hope Liverpool can't refuse. PHILIPPE COUTINHO BARCELONA UPDATE 05:30: Barcelona chief
Pep Segura is confident the club will complete deals for both Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele. The Catalan club have been desperate to find a replacement for Neymar since his move to
Paris Saint-Germain, but so far have only signed Paulinho to the dismay of their supporters. And Barcelona general manager Segura has given the fans some hope by claiming Coutinho and
Dembele - their top two targets - are close to signing. “Signings? We’ll strengthen the team in the next few days,” he said. “Coutinho and Dembele? We’re close, but until everything is
finalised, we can’t say anything else. We hope they can wear Barca’s jersey.” CHRISTIAN PULISIC PREFERS REAL MADRID OR BARCELONA 05:00: Christian Pulisic would rather move to Real Madrid or
Barcelona, according to Brian McBride. The winger is a long-term target of Liverpool but the former Fulham man doesn’t think Jurgen Klopp will be able to sign the 18-year-old. The Reds are
looking to strengthen as they prepare for a return to the Champions League. “No disrespect to Liverpool, but he probably has his heights set even higher,” McBride told ESPN FC. “I’ve heard
that that (Barcelona or Real Madrid) is part of the plan.” JURGEN KLOPP SUGGESTION 04:30: Liverpool must bring in a centre-back like Jamie Carragher this summer or they can forget about
competing for the Premier League title, according to former manager Roy Evans. Jurgen Klopp has earmarked his defence as a priority area for improvement this summer. But Evans reckons the
German boss also needs to look at bringing in a leader with a vocal presence like Carragher otherwise it could cost the Anfield club dearly this season. “They need somebody like a Jamie
Carragher, someone who verbally puts people in their places, pulls people together,” Evans told talkSPORT. “I don’t know if the Van Dijk lad is really verbal and is an organiser but if we
were to have that sort of player, it would make a massive difference to the team."