Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has ruled out any hopes of former player Philippe Coutinho returning, saying ‘it’s not our year’ for a big-money signing.

Speaking to ESPNFC, Klopp said: ‘I like Phil, I think he’s a fantastic footballer and all that stuff, but it would be a big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big-money signing and it’s not our year for that.

‘It’s just not possible. As I said, having him would make each team better – us included – but I really hope that he finds his luck at Barcelona.

‘Or maybe he found it there. We have contact, but not that close contact that I know exactly how he is doing. The rest is only newspaper talk and stuff like that.’

Coutinho’s dream move to Barcelona hasn’t quite worked out since the Catalan club spent £142 million on him in January 2018.

The Brazilian has been in and out of the team and will now face even greater competition from new arrival Antoine Griezemann, while Barça are still working on bringing Neymar back to the club.

Liverpool have barely missed Coutinho since his departure, however, with their front three of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mané and Mohamed Salah becoming one of the most fearsome combinations in world football.

Paris Saint-Germain have also been linked with the Brazilian, with suggestions that he could be used to help with a deal to re-sign Neymar.