Sports Executive
Ernesto Valverde hopes that Philippe Coutinho will stay in Barcelona in the mid-field despite speculation of being transferred to Manchester United.
The 26-year old former Liverpool midfielder moved to the Spanish champions with a deal worth
£105 million in last year's January, and playing a full season, he completed 90 minutes on just four occasions during 16 appearances at La Liga this season.
In each of the last four League matches in Barcelona, Coutinho was named on the bench, with Valverde opting out Arturo Vidal and Ousmane Dembélé over Philippe Coutinho.
The rumor was first started by a Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo, claiming that United had contacted Coutinho's agent, Kia Joorabchian, but Valverde insisted that he saw the future for the midfielder in Camp Nou.
Read related: Barcelona Player Philippe Coutinho Married Aine Coutinho in 2012, Know Their Love Life And Children
Valverde at a press conference on Friday told reporters:
"Coutinho has played well for us and we hope he'll continue to do so, I'm focused on the things he does well, just as I am with Dembélé and Arturo Vidal."
Barcelona crashed out of the Copa del Rey on Thursday with a 2- 1 defeat away at Levante in a game that Coutinho, Vidal, and Dembélé all started.
