Philippe Coutinho will not have negative effect on Liverpool despite Barcelona desire, says John Barnes

Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho will not affect the atmosphere at Anfield because he is not a "petulant person" and has "no power" under Jurgen Klopp, according to Reds legend John Barnes.

Coutinho, 25, has made no secret of his desire to move to the Camp Nou this summer and recently submitted a transfer request in an attempt to push through a transfer, but his wishes have so far fallen on deaf ears.

Liverpool have rejected a number of bids from Barcelona for the Brazil international and have made it abundantly clear that any further offers will be swiftly rebuffed. Barcelona are close to completing a €150m deal for Borussia Dortmund attacker Ousmane Dembele but remain interested in Coutinho, who signed a fresh five-year contract with Liverpool earlier this year.

Barnes, who enjoyed a wondrous 10-year spell with Liverpool between 1987 and 1997, is aware that the situation Klopp's side find themselves in with Coutinho can be potentially destructive but is confident the former Inter Milan starlet will focus himself back on matters on the pitch once the transfer window shuts.

Many players have kicked up a fuss when in a similar situation to Coutinho, but Barnes has no concerns over the Brazilian star's character and has backed Klopp to ensure that the issue does not manifest itself at Liverpool.

"I don't think it will have a negative effect on either [the player or the team] because it has to do with the person," Barnes told the Mirror. "We have seen with [Diego] Costa and other players of the past, their reaction when they haven't got their own way.

"I know Philippe Coutinho a little bit and he's a decent enough character and once he's decided he's not going to go and wants to stay he will knuckle down and perform. Nothing can affect the team negatively because Coutinho is not a petulant person, he's not going to throw his toys out of the pram, he won't be allowed to because the club have made a stance.

"It really depends on the personality [of a player] and he seems a fairly sensible personality whereby we can see in the past with certain characters, the destruction they have caused.

"He won't be allowed to have a negative effect on the team, because the person with the biggest effect on the team is Jurgen Klopp, so he has no power.

"So I think his disappointment will soon be forgotten because has to get on and play football."

Coutinho has missed Liverpool's opening season fixtures and will certainly miss the Reds' crunch clash with Arsenal on Sunday (27 August) with a back problem that has troubled him for a number of weeks.

The Barcelona target is expected to be available after the international break, though he may face a fight to get back into the Liverpool side due to the bright early season form of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.