"If there's space then I would certainly like Coutinho back at Liverpool"

Former Liverpool midfielder Steve McManaman says the club should look to bring Philippe Coutinho back to the club from Barcelona. 

Coutinho left Liverpool in a drawn-out transfer saga two years ago, eventually signing for the Spanish champions in a deal worth a potential €160 million. 

Things have not gone to plan for the Brazilian at Camp Nou and he's currently on loan at Bayern Munich and is expected to leave permanently in the summer. 

"It could be that they (Liverpool) instead opt to bring a certain Philippe Countinho back to the club," McManaman, who also played for Real Madrid, told HorseRacing.net.

"I wouldn’t mind seeing Coutinho back. He’s a brilliant player but a lot of it is just down to economics. 

"If they can bring him back for a reasonable fee and potentially sell a couple of players who aren't playing regularly, then that could work. There are rumours that Xherdan Shaqiri may leave at the end of the season, and Adam Lallana may want to play more often.

"If there’s space available then I’d certainly like Coutinho back, as he was a wonderful player for Liverpool. He’s that type of player that when plan A isn’t working he can change the game. He scored some incredible goals for Liverpool and though he’d have to win the fans over after he asked to leave, I think that most fans would recognise how good he was for Liverpool.

"He seems to have lost his way a bit at the minute, he needs a bit of TLC and an arm around him doesn’t he? So if he wants to come back to Liverpool and the deal was good then I’d have no qualms taking him back because he’s a lovely player."