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Philippe Coutinho open to new Liverpool contract

Philippe Coutinho has told the Daily Mail he would be keen to commit his long-term future to Liverpool.

Coutinho signed for the Reds from Inter Milan in January 2013 and has become an important player at Anfield, scoring 10 goals in 65 Premier League games from midfield.

The 22-year-old's current contract does not expire for another three-and-a-half years, but regardless he is open to staying on Merseyside beyond 2018.

Coutinho said: "It is not a hot topic for me about signing a new contract. But I would be very happy to stay here for a long time and, maybe, I could become like one of the great players who have been here. I want to win trophies here of my own."

The Brazil international went on to praise the influence of manager Brendan Rodgers, who has helped him adapt to the physicality of the English game.

"He has helped a lot," Coutinho said. "He gave me time to adapt. The physicality takes you by surprise. When you put your head up in England, you see two or three players ready to hit you.

"The intensity, the speed is what really takes time to adjust. You can never relax for a minute in one game. In Brazil, Italy and Spain you have time and space to play the ball."

Coutinho also reflected on his time at Inter, where he struggled to make an impact and was loaned out to Espanyol before his move to Liverpool.

"I trained with Inter for two days when I went to sign," Coutinho said. "I met [Jose] Mourinho and had a couple of conversations with him.

"He was helpful because it was someone who spoke Portuguese. I never got the chance to work with him as he left in the summer I joined. By then, Rafa Benitez had come in. He was very helpful. Training was good but I didn't play well at Inter. I didn't have confidence."