This archive report was first published on 6 August 2019.
Published on August 6, 2019, Unai Emery, the manager of Arsenal, has dismissed speculation that the club is interested in signing Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona.
Coutinho, a 27-year-old Brazilian playmaker, has struggled to make a significant impact at Barcelona since joining the club in a £142 million move from Liverpool in January 2018.
Despite suggestions that he could be sold following the arrival of Antoine Griezmann and the potential return of Neymar, Coutinho has consistently stated his desire to stay at Barcelona and fight for his place in the team.
Emery's comments came after Arsenal's 2-1 defeat to Barcelona in a friendly match at the Joan Gamper Trophy, with Coutinho an unused substitute for the match.
"We've never talked about Coutinho," Emery said in an interview with SER. "He's a splendid player, but we haven't talked about Coutinho at any time."
Emery also praised the performance of his players, despite the defeat, and expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming Premier League season.
"Good feelings today, the game has been positive," he said. "I look forward to the Premier League, there we have to look for a performance and a better result than today."
Emery also spoke highly of summer signing Dani Ceballos, who has joined the club on loan from Real Madrid.
