Tite urges Coutinho to find 'a place where he feels happy'

COUTINHO

Philippe Coutinho was put through his paces during a Brazil training session on Wednesday with his club future hanging in the balance.

Coutinho trained as normal with his Brazil team-mates as they prepared for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Colombia.  

Barcelona are pressing on with their pursuit of the midfielder despite having three bids rejected by Liverpool this summer already - the most recent worth £114million.  

But with just one day remaining in the Premier League transfer window, Coutinho turned his attentions to international duty as Brazil bid to seal their place at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

  

Brazil looked in good spirits as they trained, with the likes of Neymar, Marcelo and Gabriel Jesus all finding time to joke around during the session. 

And Liverpool fans will also be encouraged to see Coutinho messing about with his club team-mate Roberto Firmino in Porto Alegre. 

The five-time world champions are on course to qualify as they sit top of their South American qualifying section, nine points ahead of second-placed Colombia. 

Tite's side host Ecuador in Porto Alegre on Thursday night before traveling to Colombia four days later.

And the Brazil coach revealed Coutinho will start on the bench on Thursday, with Willian set to start.

Speaking about the Chelsea midfielder, Tite said: 'He has been playing, he is doing great so, in fairness, he will start the match and Coutinho is benched.'

Tite also said he told Coutinho he needed to be in a 'place where he feels happy; if it's at Liverpool - if it's a move to Barcelona.'

Barcelona technical secretary Robert Fernandez confirmed to Sportsmail that the Catalans were in negotiations to sign one unnamed player - possibly Coutinho. 

Reports in Spain suggest that Barcelona will turn their attentions to Monaco's Thomas Lemar should they fail to sign Coutinho. 

Liverpool themselves are targeting Lemar and the Merseyside club have sent officials to Monaco in an attempt to seal a £74m deal for the France international. 

But Mundo Deportivo report that Barcelona have now made Lemar their 'Plan B' - with Liverpool so far remaining firm in their refusal to sell Coutinho.

Neymar meanwhile could soon be joined by another superstar signing at the PSG, with Kylian Mbappe closing in on a loan move to the Parc des Princes from Monaco.

The deal will involve an obligation to buy the striker for £166m at the end of the season and is structured to avoid PSG falling foul of Financial Fair Play regulations.