Henderson can't influence wantaway Coutinho

Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson admitted Monday that he is powerless to influence Philippe Coutinho's thinking, after the Brazilian reportedly submitted a transfer request on Friday. Jurgen Klopp's men are in Germany ahead of Tuesday's first leg of their Champions League play-off against Hoffenheim and Coutinho, who has a back injury, did not travel with the squad. "It is obviously a difficult situation for Phil. Whatever I say will not help the situation but as players, we are fully focused on the game," Henderson told an eve-of-game press conference.

Jordan Henderson speaks about Coutinho's transfer request, how it's affected the squad & how he wants him to stay ⚽️ ? @Watch_LFC pic.twitter.com/bSr3Az5IIX

— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) August 15, 2017

"As players, you expect things in the transfer window to happen and players come and go. "Of course, if you ask everyone, they want Phil to stay as he is a world-class player. I have had conversations with Phil, it is private, (but) I don't think I can influence the situation. "I am close to him and I have a lot of respect for him, but everything that happens is nothing to do with me."

"It has nothing to do with me." Jordan Henderson admits he can’t influence Philippe Coutinho’s situation - https://t.co/zDb1i9Eex5 pic.twitter.com/fG7lR22LoJ— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) August 15, 2017

Klopp, who insisted that he would not think about Coutinho while the player is unfit to play, returns to his home country, where he built his career during spells in charge of Mainz and Borussia Dortmund.