The young midfielder is delighted to have signed his new contract
Barely hours have passed since the news was officially announced that Liverpool’s star midfielder, Philippe Coutinho, has signed a new five year contract at the club. The young attacker himself, speaking to the club’s official website this afternoon said “I’ve grown as a football player and evolved a few aspects of my game. I’m 22 now and I believe I’ve been maturing as a player at Liverpool.
“I was very young – you can see on those photos that I looked like a kid. I haven’t changed that much but I think this shorter hair actually makes me look a bit older! Anyway, I hope to keep growing and evolving every aspect of my game at Liverpool.
“Brendan has always been very helpful – he trusted me and gave me the opportunity to play. I didn’t think twice when a new deal was proposed. This is an outstanding club with amazing supporters. I’m very grateful to everyone.
“He’s great. He’s constantly talking to me and the squad. I feel I have evolved very much under his management. Tactically, he’s been very helpful to me – I’ve learned things like how to play and mark the opponent without the ball.”
After a slow start to the season, Coutinho’s start to 2015 has been much improved and would appear to support his belief that he has begun to mature as a player. As with many of the Reds young players, it’s often easy to forget just how young they are, that the weight of expectation on their young shoulders is much greater than many footballers ever have to experience but Coutinho seems to have reveled in the adulation and the expectations of late.
