Jürgen Klopp made the right move in selling Phillipe Coutinho

As Liverpool fans come to terms with the loss of yet another star player to FC Barcelona, one man has brought back the discipline and respect that has been absent since the days of Kenny Dalglish, Bob Paisley and Bill Shankly.

Klopp let Coutinho go for one very valid reason (image: Liverpool Echo)

Phillipe Coutinho decided his time at Anfield was at an end, and rather than waiting until the end of the campaign the Brazilian masterminded a plan to leave Merseyside for the Nou Camp - when all he had to do was ask.

The idea of a player forcing through a move and not wanting to play for a club as grand as Liverpool would be met with a straight "see you later" from the legends that have managed the club in the past, and Jürgen Klopp brought back the days of hard stances as he waved bye-bye to the playmaker.

With a warchest now available to target his top stars, the German refused to be caught up in the saga that has embroiled many fans and reporters over the winter period.

The arrival of Van Djik should somewhat cushion the blow (image: Mirror)

While the arrival of £75m Virgil Van Djik will cover the blow, what fans should be praising at this current period is the attitude of their manager who stood up for the values of Liverpool and gave in to the wishes, with the belief that you should only be at the club if you want to.

Coutinho did not. His 'heartfelt' message on Instagram signified how much the club meant to him, and while he got his dream move, he left behind a tarnished reputation, and through away the loyalty, respect and regard that fans on Merseyside once held him so high within.

"Since the moment I arrived in Liverpool , me and my family have been made to feel so welcome and have made so many friends.

On the pitch and off the pitch, we have experienced the beauty of this club and its fans. In turn, I hope I have delivered memories and moments that have brought happiness to the Liverpool supporters.

Moving to Liverpool, I knew the club’s greatness and history but what I did learn during my time was the unique heart and soul of the place. It has its own personality and character.

I leave Liverpool because Barcelona is a dream for me. Liverpool was a dream that I was fortunate enough to realise and I have given five years of my life to it. A career on the pitch only lasts for so long and to play for Barcelona as well as Liverpool is something I want to experience and enjoy while I am blessed enough to be able to do so.

I hope the supporters understand that choosing to experience something new is not about diminishing their importance to me or the club’s importance. Nothing will ever diminish that in my heart.

I wish Jürgen and the team nothing but joy and success for the rest of this season and beyond. This is an amazing team and they are getting better and better all the time.

There are too many people I want to thank, but I cannot name everyone individually.

To all the amazing club staff who have been part of my life in Liverpool - I will miss you. To the owners, whom have tried so hard to bring success, and to the football recruitment staff for showing faith in me to bring me here and rewarding me during that journey, and to my incredible teammates, past and present, who have helped me grow and improve as a player and a person, I would like to say thank you to you all. Anything I have achieved here would not have been possible without you.

And finally, to the most important people of Liverpool - the Liverpool supporters. I can never thank you enough for what you have given me during this time and no matter where I go in the world, for the rest of my life, I will always cherish Liverpool in my heart. You, the club and the city will always be a part of me.

You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Philippe."

The post has irked Reds fans, with suggestion that the message was written by one of the players PR team as the lack of true goodbye will come at a price.

Just seen Coutinho’s farewell Instagram post - beautiful message, just a shame it wasn’t actually written by him.

— Leanne Prescott (@_lfcleanne) January 8, 2018

Coutinho's farewell message the biggest load of crap I've ever seen - he didn't write a word of this. 100% delivered by PR team. pic.twitter.com/4VW33QrK4N

— Empire of the Kop (@empireofthekop) January 9, 2018

However, with players in the squad who want to fight for the cause, it may be easier for Klopp to now create a team in his image; the manager has always been an underdog, capable of creating inspiration, and with a team lacking in quality, they'll need his skills more than ever.