Brazilian youngster Philippe Coutinho insisted he has no regrets leaving Inter for Liverpool last January, highlighting that he didn’t think twice about joining the Premier League side.
The 21-year-old who spent just under three years in Milan, largely struggling to secure a regular first-team place, admitted that he was given chances at the San Siro but sometimes things just do not work out.
“Sometimes you can be a good player at a good club and for some reason it just does not work out,” Coutinho told the Daily Telegraph.
“There is no explanation for it. Then you move to another club and it fits perfectly straight away and you feel comfortable.
“I had some chances at Inter, but after a few years, I was not getting many chances.
“As a footballer all you ever want is the chance to play, and show people how well you can play. I knew at Liverpool I would get that opportunity so I didn’t think twice.
“You look at a club and you see a top European team, with top players and top ambitions to win every major trophy, even if it will take time. I didn’t even have to think about the decision.”
Despite barely six months working with then Inter coach Rafael Benitez the Brazilian international praised the Napoli boss for his attitude towards the Nerazzurri’s young players and the confidence that gave him.
“Jose Mourinho was the manager when I was preparing to join them, but he left before I moved to Italy,” he continued.
“It was a difficult period, strangely, because they had won the national championship five times and just won the Champions League but the club was preparing for change.
“Rafa Benítez had just become the manager and he was prepared to give me opportunities straight away as a younger player, but there were good players there who won a lot at the club – really good players – and things were not settled and it turned out not so good.
“I had a good relationship with Rafa, he was always very considerate towards me and gave me a lot of confidence. He cared a lot about all the younger players at Inter.”
Follow Kevin Pogorzelski on Twitter: @rabbitrabbiton
