Philippe Coutinho has finally got his dream move to Barcelona, penning a contract until 2023 for a fee of £142 million.
The Brazilian desperately wanted the transfer to happen in the summer but Liverpool refused to sell and he stayed put at Anfield, where he was in irresistible form - scoring 12 and assisting eight in all competitions.
Here's our behind the scenes look at Friday's Merseyside derby:
But while he was churning out a series of sublime performances, the 25-year old was clearly still thinking about Barcelona.
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In fact, as per The Independent, Coutinho informed his Liverpool teammates of his desire to return to Spain, where he had previously been on loan at Espanyol, back in August.
According to an in-depth report from Simon Hughes, the former Inter Milan told everyone prior to a training session at Melwood, even though his expression had already said everything.
A paragraph in the article reads:
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"Liverpool's players were getting ready for training last August at Melwood when Coutinho entered the changing room with an expression attached to his face, one that meant maybe he did not need to explain his intention to leave - though he did anyway in front of an entire squad.
"Only he knows whether the decision was made out of confidence or desperation but it ended up backfiring because it contributed towards Liverpool reinforcing their position."
Liverpool did hold firm in the side after repeatedly stressing their star player would not be sold, but when they received a mouthwatering bid that would make Coutinho the second most expensive player in football history, they decided to cash in.
Jurgen Klopp reacted to the news on the official Liverpool site yesterday, thanking Coutinho for his efforts and letting everyone know that the club were powerless in trying to get him to stay.
"It is with great reluctance that we - as a team and club - prepare to say farewell to a good friend, a wonderful person and a fantastic player in Philippe Coutinho," he told the official Liverpool website.
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"It is no secret that Philippe has wanted his dream move to happen since July, when Barcelona first made their interest known.
"Philippe was insistent with me, the owners and even his teammates this was a move he was desperate to make happen.
"Despite that, we managed to keep the player here beyond the summer window, hoping that we would be able to persuade him to stay and be part of what we are looking to do.
"I can tell the Liverpool supporters that we, as a club, have done everything within our means to convince Philippe that remaining part of LFC was as attractive as moving to Spain, but he is 100 per cent certain his future - and that of his family - belongs at Barcelona. It is his dream and I am now convinced there is nothing left at our disposal to change his mind.
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"Philippe has made a fantastic contribution to this club over his five years of service and as disappointed as we are he doesn't want to extend that, the relationship we have for him means with a heavy heart we wish him well.
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Liverpool, Anfield, Barcelona, Philippe Coutinho, Jurgen Klopp