Jurgen Klopp was in no mood to talk about the B-word at Melwood on Wednesday.

The stories about Barcelona, and more specifically their desire to sign Philippe Coutinho, continue to bug Liverpool.

With the Catalan press doing their best to push the issue – Sport, the Barca-based football daily, carried a new article this week claiming terms on a £133m deal for January had been “thrashed out” between the two clubs – the Brazilian’s future remains high on the agenda at Anfield.

Annoying, as Liverpool prepare for a crucial period of four games in 11 days (and then an FA Cup derby after that). Distracting, potentially, for a team which relies heavily on Coutinho’s star quality.

Irksome, perhaps, for Klopp?

(Image: Jason Roberts)

“I have nothing to say,” was his response when asked about the latest round of Coutinho rumours, and in particular whether Barcelona’s ‘pursuit’ of the 25-year-old had crossed a line.

“Absolutely. I am not interested. I don’t comment on transfer rumours!”

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A recap of the situation, if you will; Coutinho is on a long-term contract which contains no release clause. He made it clear in the summer that he wished to move to Barca, handing in a formal transfer request on the eve of the Premier League season.

Barcelona had a total of three bids rejected by Liverpool, who maintained their stance that the player was not for sale at any price. Whatever some supporters’ opinion of Fenway Sports Group, they stood firm on that one.

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

In the meantime Coutinho has continued to play for Liverpool, and to play well. But with the transfer window about to re-open, the topic is not going away.

How, then, does Klopp view it? Does he see it as de-stabilising when a player under contract is courted so aggressively by another club?

“To be honest, I don’t think about it,” he insists. “As long as nobody comes to me and says ‘he’s gone’ or he signs a new contract...

“It’s all about the behaviour of the players. The players are fine. I work with them all day.

(Image: (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images))

“If we want to sell a player we don’t go every day to him and tell him ‘by the way, don’t forget we want to sell you!’

“No, we want to keep him in best shape until the day and when the situation is there we will tell him ‘OK, here’s the offer, if you want to take it, then go...’

“So in the day-by-day business, it has no influence as long as the players are fine. And neither Emre (Can, who is entering the final six months of his contract at Liverpool) or Phil gave me one second the impression that they are not interested in what we are doing here.

“And that is all I care about until the moment we have to make a decision. That’s all. So far both these two did really well. They are completely in the team and they will be until it is not like this any more – and when this will be? I have no clue!”