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5th August 2017
12:43pm BST

There was even talk that negotiations were at such an advanced stage that the player would be left out of Liverpool's friendly game with Athletic Bilbao at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday. These rumours were dismissed as idle speculation on Friday as the player was expected to feature.
But on Saturday morning, it has been confirmed that Coutinho has not in fact travelled to Ireland with the rest of his Anfield teammates, being left out of Liverpool's squad with an apparent 'sore back'. The Brazilian didn't board the plane to the Irish capital.
Certainly worried fans are in equal parts suspicious and cynical about the sudden back pain...
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