Contrasting reports have begun emerging over the weekend on Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho’s future amid interest from FC Barcelona.
Can Barcelona honestly just sod off? Now I understand how Ralf Rangnick felt every time we kept coming back and knocking on the door of Naby Keïta.
Liverpool are reportedly set to brace themselves for another bid for Philippe Coutinho, coming from FC Barcelona as the Catalan giants attempt to prise Klopp’s biggest asset away from the club. The manager has adamantly reaffirmed that the Brazilian is “not for sale” at any cost but reports from… well everywhere, seem to suggest otherwise.
The Reds’ no.10 was absent from their recent trip to Dublin due to a minor back complaint and the club not wanting to take their chances with major injuries already hampering key trio Adam Lallana, Daniel Sturridge and Nathaniel Clyne but it has only served as further fuel for the fire in this saga.
Spanish publication Sport are claiming that Liverpool have agreed a fee with Barcelona of £90.3m and that they will be sending negotiators to Merseyside in the next week or so to finalise a deal.
In France however, the tune is very different. French publication L’Equipe believe that Barca are in for Ousmane Dembélé of Borussia Dortmund and that a deal for the French winger draws nearer by the day. Funnily enough, that deal is also tentatively priced at £90.3m (€100 million).
While Neymar’s incredible departure to PSG last week has provided Barcelona with the funding to theoretically sign both Dembélé and Coutinho, there is a feeling in the media that it will be one or the other. Who you ask? Not Coutinho.
Liverpool’s stance has been confirmed by numerous English journalists in the last few weeks and it seems even if he wants to leave, the Brazilian will need to play out at least one more season on Merseyside.
Right, now that’s over, I need some coffee.
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