Liverpool’s Brazilian Signing Needs Attitude To Match Skills - Legend

Liverpool legend Tommie Smith claims Phillippe Coutinho will need to prove to the club that he has the right attitude to succeed, with the Brazilian making the move to Merseyside just before January deadline day.

The Reds had always made their intentions to build on their attacking options in the winter transfer window clear, and the side moved for Coutinho as he continued to fall out of favour with Inter Milan.

In a deal believed to be worth around £8.5 million, Coutinho will no doubt boost the Liverpool squad as they push to take a top four spot, though he is yet to play for the club as he settles into life in England.

And Smith believes that he must make sure his attitude is as good as his talents on the pitch if he hopes to succeed in a Liverpool shirt.

"He's clearly got lots of ability and potential," he said in the Liverpool Echo.

"But he should get his head down, embrace our magnificent club and its fans, and give everything he has each time he pulls on a red shirt.

"If he puts Liverpool FC and the supporters first, not just himself, he can become a big hit."

With Italy welcoming back Mario Balotelli this weekend, who took the Premier League by storm both on and off the pitch in his time in England, Smith says he hopes that Coutinho shows the opposite attitude to the man heading in the opposite direction for the rest of the season.

"Mario Balotelli is a nutcase who would not have lasted five minutes in any dressing room I've been in," he quipped.

"I shudder to think what Shanks or Bob Paisley would have made of him. It doesn't matter how talented you are, it's all about attitude.

"So I hope our new young Brazilian Philippe Coutinho is made of very different stuff."

Liverpool drew with Manchester City at the weekend, though the Reds were often dominant throughout the 90 minutes. The match left Brendan Rodgers' men in seventh place in the table, nine points from fourth-placed Tottenham.