Former Liverpool striker Rickie Lambert has urged his former club to allow Philippe Coutinho to join Barcelona.
“I’m probably going to get a bit of stick for this but I think Liverpool should have let him go,” he told BBC 5live sport.
“He asked to go. I know it was late in the transfer window and I can understand why we kept hold of him.
“But if he’s made the effort to come out and say he wants to go.
“With everything that he’s done for the club I thought he’d have been allowed to go.”
The Brazil international Coutinho was a priority target of the Spanish giants during the summer transfer window, though at the end he ended up staying put in Merseyside as Jurgen Klopp’s side did not wish to sell.
The 25-year-old has established himself as one of the best playmakers in World football and is a key part of the Liverpool first team.
However Barcelona will be expected to return with offers during the near future and it does look like Coutinho is keen on joining the club where many South American legends have played as he handed in a transfer request during the summer.
