Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has told Barcelona to ‘save their energy’ as they continue to be linked to star attacker Philippe Coutinho.

Coutinho helped Liverpool to an impressive 3-0 win over Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich at the Audi Cup on Tuesday.

The Brazil international, 25, reportedly remains a target for Barca as the La Liga giants look set to need to replace Neymar, who is seemingly likely to join Paris Saint-Germain.

Klopp has continually insisted Coutinho is not for sale, and he told Barca not to waste their time.

‘I can understand that Coutinho is so highly rated, but they can save their energy,’ he told a news conference on Tuesday.

Klopp was happy with what he saw from Coutinho, who started centrally before moving to the left against Bayern.

Goals from Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Daniel Sturridge saw Liverpool to their win at Allianz Arena.

‘He [Coutinho] began in the centre and then he switched to the left side because he is good at that, and then we thought we’d do both things and he played very well,’ Klopp said.

‘[Around] 45-60 minutes he played very well, he can play both positions and that’s what he did.’

– This story originally appeared on FourFourTwo.co.za