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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Wolverine GTR" data-source="post: 23471959" data-attributes="member: 158020">'No one can replace Coutinho at Liverpool' - KloppJurgen Klopp insists seeking a like-for-like replacement for Philippe  Coutinho was never part of Liverpool’s transfer plans this close-season  because such a player does not exist. Coutinho joined Barcelona in a blockbusting £142 million ($193m) deal  in January but his departure did little to check Liverpool's progress  under Klopp as they sealed a top-four spot in the Premier League and  reached the Champions League final.The funds raised from the Brazil playmaker's sale have been  handsomely reinvested from the mid-season signing of centre-back Virgil  van Dijk onwards.Fabinho and Naby Keita, the latter a pre-agreed signing from RB  Leipzig, will bolster Klopp’s midfield for the coming campaign, while  Xherdan Shaqiri provides another creative attacking option. Brazil goalkeeper Alisson joined Van Dijk in becoming the most  expensive player in history in his position but Liverpool have not  specifically recruited anyone to step into Coutinho's shoes, nor looked  likely to since their bid to bring in Nabil Fekir from Lyon collapsed "You cannot replace Phil Coutinho with exactly the same kind of player," Klopp told reporters."He's Phil Coutinho. He has a specific style of play, tactically  an outstanding player. He can play as the winger, the 10, the eight –  really great. "I don't want to put one of my players in the position where people will say constantly, 'He's the Phil replacement.'"Klopp is understandably proud of Liverpool's performances from the  second half of last season which, along with the impressive raft of  recruits, has many tipping them for a sustained title bid this time  around. Nevertheless, the former Borussia Dortmund coach allowed himself to  wonder how May's Champions League defeat to Real Madrid might have  played out had Coutinho still been at his disposal after injury struck  talisman Mohamed Salah."I think the biggest thing we did in the second half of last season  was that we didn't need to speak too much about Phil," he explained."That wasn't clear in January. How could we have known that? If we  still had Phil then we could have played him in the Champions League  final and, when Mo [Salah] goes out injured, Phil goes on the left wing,  Sadio [Mane] to the other side and bring a midfielder on."Then it's a different story. That would have been nice but he wasn't here and we wish him well." Klopp added: "We don't need to replace Phil. We need to make a squad  for the next year. Out there in the market, there isn't a Phil  Coutinho-light. He's not there. But there are a lot of good players and  we have brought a few of them in."</blockquote>

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