Coutinho signs new Liverpool contract

Liverpool have announced that Philippe Coutinho has signed a new long-term contract at Anfield.

The 24-year-old has agreed to a revamped deal that will come into effect from July 1 and will see him earn a reported £150,000 per week, making him the club’s top earner.

Coutinho, who had been linked with Barcelona, says he wants to repay the faith shown in him by Liverpool and its supporters during his four years in the Premier League.

“I would like to thank everybody at the club, first of all,” he told Liverpool’s official website.

“I am very happy to sign a new contract here. It is a club that I am very grateful to and this shows my happiness here. I will work much harder to repay the belief shown in me.

“I signed this new contract to stay here for a few more years because it’s a great honour for me. It gives me great happiness because I was welcomed here with open arms by everyone at the club and the supporters right from my first day.

“This is an important factor that carries weight when you decide to remain here for a longer period – and this did have a lot of weight when I thought about the renewal of my contract.

“I am very thankful to this football club for everything.”

Philippe Coutinho has become a key player at Anfield since joining #LFC from #Inter in 2013 pic.twitter.com/TG1j7zmEWH

— Omnisport (@OmnisportNews) January 25, 2017

The news will come as a major boost to Jurgen Klopp’s side given the Barca speculation and their own dip in form in recent weeks.

Liverpool have won only one of their six matches in 2017 – an FA Cup third-round replay away to fourth-tier Plymouth Argyle – and take on Southampton in the second leg of the EFL Cup semi-final on Wednesday needing to overturn a 1-0 deficit.

Coutinho, who missed a number of weeks with an ankle injury and only returned to action in that defeat at St Mary’s Stadium on January 11, is determined to help his side get back on track.

“When you come back, of course it is too difficult to be at the same level, but I have been working very hard each day in order to carry on producing good performances on the pitch to help the team achieve victories,” said the Brazil international.

“The last few games were not so good but we are ready to stand up again and carry on fighting.”