Barcelona forward Neymar has lavished praise on Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho and has tipped him to become a star player in England.
Coutinho, who was signed from Italian outfit Inter Milan in the January 2013, has become an important fixture of Brendan Rodgers’ side. The Brazilian’s performances saw him recently rewarded with a contract extension that will see him at Liverpool until June 2020.
The 22-year-old is enjoying a sparkling run of form this season and scored a last minute goal against Bolton Wanderers in their fourth round FA Cup tie to seal Liverpool’s passage to the next round.
The Brazilian’s stellar performances haven’t gone unnoticed by his national team set-up and he has been featuring in Dunga’s side. Neymar has now tipped his compatriot for greater things in the future.
“He can be the star player in England”, the Barcelona forward was quoted as saying by Liverpool’s official site.
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“This season I think everybody in England is seeing how talented he is – and I know he has a lot more to show.”
Neymar added that Coutinho is not just a fantastic player on the pitch, but also a positive man off it and his positivity rubs off on the rest of the team.
“We have been good friends since we were 16. Not only is he a fantastic player, he is a good guy to have in the dressing room, always positive and making jokes.”
The Brazil national team captain further praised Coutinho for his ability to add creativity to the team and setting up his team-mates with goalscoring opportunities.
“When he has the ball at his feet, he can make things happen for himself and he can make things happen for other players.
“He is a very special player."
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