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The situation surrounding Philippe Coutinho and his Liverpool future is “disappointing”, according to Sir Alex Ferguson.

The former Manchester United manager, speaking at a UEFA coaches forum in Switzerland, responded to a question on the Reds' wantaway Brazilian.

Coutinho has not featured this season as he seeks to force through a move to Barcelona. The 24-year-old handed in a transfer request on the eve of the Premier League season, despite Liverpool insisting 'definitively' that he would not be sold during this window.

Ferguson, though a sworn enemy of the Reds down the years, was sympathetic to his former rivals, and suggested that closing the window before the season starts would help matters in situations such as this.

He said: "I think strong management is crucial in this situation. Part of your job as a coach also is to educate your players' character so they have a responsibility to what they're doing.

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"Obviously, in some cases, that is changing a bit. It's disappointing because I'm sure that, in the case of Liverpool, they did a very good job in making Coutinho the player he is today.

"So, it's a bit disappointing but you have to deal with it and the transfer window doesn't help in that situation.

Ferguson added: "If it closed in July, Coutinho would have continued playing and it would have been gone. The matter would have been over.

"The recommendation we look at is to close the window before the season starts, so everyone knows which players they've got and aren't waiting to see what the first results are going to be."

Though the Premier League transfer window closes at 11pm today, clubs in Spain have until midnight on Friday to complete deals, meaning the Coutinho saga could, theoretically, run on for another day.

Reports in Spain continue to suggest Barcelona are confident on sealing the transfer, though Liverpool's stance remains unchanged.

Coutinho is currently away with Brazil preparing for their World Cup qualifiers with Ecuador and Colombia. He has been able to train despite his apparent back issue, though coach Tite admits the constant speculation has affected the midfielder.

"I can't assess Coutinho in financial terms," Tite said. "My thing is in the pitch, that's my concern. We have different realities.

"But I've talked to Coutinho, told him the same I've told you: go where you feel happy. If it's Liverpool, I'll be ok. If it's another one, I'll be ok.

"I have to know my limits. I don't have to have opinion about everything. I don't want to be a showman, to be talking about everything. I'm very discreet in this kind of things. And fair. And justice is that he can be happy. I don't know which club he's going to. He'll decide it. But the Brazilian squad won't lose him."

Coutinho is in line to feature in Brazil's qualifiers against Ecuador and Colombia, despite his lack of playing time at Liverpool.

Back problems and a bout of illness are behind Coutinho's Liverpool absence, though his doctor in Brazil contradicted this by claiming the player was suffering from stress brought about by uncertainty over his future.

(Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Talking about Coutinho's fitness, Tite said: "Coutinho was called up with 15 days of anticipation. We were aware that we are in a transfer window with all the chances of changes coming in. I have to pay attention to it.

"That's a reality because it touches the emotional side, the player's life, the routine of the clubs. And, at the same time, we have to look at the essence of Brazilian squad. A player with the level and the quality of Philippe.

"Coutinho, fit at that moment, had to be called. He had a problem. And the dimension of this injury, to know that our basis was the moment in which he arrived to the Brazilian squad. I have this responsibility of telling you this.

"And the medical department made an assessment, a transition work, a contact from physician to physician from Liverpool, from staff to staff, I didn't do that because I don't speak English but we made it, so that we wouldn't put a player at risk but also don't lose him. Don't lose a player with the level of Coutinho. He stays as an option."