'They will build a statue in your honour': Coutinho pledges future to Liverpool amid Barcelona links

Philippe Coutinho has hinted that he will remain at Liverpool this summer despite interest from Barcelona and is hoping to become "something more" at Anfield. Coutinho, 24, has been continuously linked with a €90m (£77.9m, $101m) switch to the Camp Nou in recent months with Barcelona attacker Neymar championing a potential move, but the Brazil international rubbished speculation and is not interested in becoming "just another player" at an elite club.

Coutinho recently signed a new contract with the Reds and has just enjoyed arguably his best season on Merseyside, scoring 13 goals and providing seven assists as Jurgen Klopp's men secured Champions League qualification.

His performances may have drawn interest from the cream of the footballing crop, but the former Inter Milan starlet is happy to remain at Liverpool and is hoping to have a statue of him erected at Anfield in the future.

"Stay here [at Liverpool] and they will end up building a statue in your honour," Coutinho told ESPN Brasil. "Go somewhere else, to Barcelona, to Bayern Munich, to Real Madrid, and you will be just another player. Here you can be something more. I have a long contract with Liverpool. Speculation is for journalists only."

Coutinho started the season in blistering form for Liverpool and was involved in 11 goals for Klopp's side before suffering a significant ankle injury in November.

He returned in January when Liverpool's season was in danger of falling apart and managed to gradually play his way back into form. Despite threatening to mount a serious charge for the Premier League, Coutinho is glad the Reds were able to "bounce back" and pip Arsenal in the race for the Champions League positions.

"We started the season very well, I started well. But then in the middle, the performance regressed," the Liverpool playmaker added. "Then we bounced back, and I finished the season at a high level. The whole team is playing well. Sunday was a very important victory, and next season it's the Champions League."