- Barcelona still linked with a transfer swoop for Philippe Coutinho in January
- Report claims that they will have to pay more than €100m to sign him
- Liverpool have yet to show any indication of a willingness to sell
- READ MORE: Barcelona suffer major injury blow, 14 games that key man could miss
It’s the transfer story that doesn’t seemingly want to go away as speculation continues to link Philippe Coutinho with a move to Barcelona.
The Liverpool playmaker has been in impressive form for Jurgen Klopp’s side so far this season, putting rumours of a move to the Nou Camp firmly behind after three separate bids were said to have been rejected over the summer, as per BBC Sport.
Coutinho has responded by showing real class and professionalism to reintegrate himself back into the Liverpool line-up after injury woes to start the campaign, and he now has six goals and six assists in 13 appearances for the Reds so far this season.
However, after Mundo Deportivo reported earlier this week that it would take a fee of €145m for Barcelona to prise him away from Anfield, it seems as though that’s the line that is being given to media outlets across Europe.
According to Calciomercato, it will take a bid in excess of €100m to convince Liverpool to sell Coutinho in January, although it’s becoming increasingly difficult to see how such a deal will be agreed upon by all parties.
As mentioned above, Coutinho is showing his class for Klopp’s side this season as they have started to find their feet in recent weeks with six wins in their last eight games in all competitions.
The Brazilian international has been integral in that run, and so there is surely an argument to be made that he should stay on Merseyside and continue to be a pivotal figure in Liverpool’s plans moving forward.
However, counter that with the potential desire to play for Barcelona, it remains a complicated matter. The Catalan giants will need to eventually replace club icon Andres Iniesta, and Coutinho is arguably a perfect fit given his technical quality and creative abilities.
There’s already significant competition for places at Barca, and so he’ll have to take that into consideration if a move moves closer to happening, but ultimately it doesn’t look as though it will even get that far as Liverpool have to agree to a sale first.