Liverpool's Brazilian attacking midfielder Phillipe Countinho on Sunday admitted he was interested when the offer came from FC Barcelona but added he is also proud to play for his current club and will give his best here.
"What happened was a job offer and, in life, sometimes you get interested. Sometimes you don't and, in my case, everyone knows that I got interested, my family too," Coutinho told espn Brasil.
"But as I have always said, it is a great offer to receive an offer from such a great club like that.
"But it is also a great honour being here. Liverpool is a great club worldwide. I'm here and I will give my best as always. I'm working hard, my thoughts are on the team's goals, making a good season."
There was a lot of speculation surrounding Coutinho as to where he would be playing this season as he missed the start of the season.
"It was a complicated month for me but as I have said, it is an honour to receive that offer but it is also an honour to wear this shirt, so what I can do is work hard and honour that on the field. It is all cool," he added.
More From This Section
Coutinho further said that he has no plans of shifting to any other club at the moment.
"Not that I know of. I am in a place that I have always been given respect by everyone and (I) too respect everyone," he said.
"I have conquered my space in four, five years and never had any problems with anyone -- the fans, the board, my team-mates, the coaching staff. That has not changed. As I have said, in life, in every job you get an offer, interested or not. It is all in the past," he added.
--IANS
dm/tri/dg