This past summer, Liverpool FC declared their star attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho not for sale. Barcelona launched three bids for the playmaker, one of which was an amount that would have broken the world transfer fee record, prior to Barca selling Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain.
According to a new report today, Liverpool might be softening their stance on Coutinho, and he’s no longer off limits.
Via Sky Sports, we learned that Anfield is: “now open to the option of selling Philippe Coutinho in January, according to Guillem Balague.”
Balague is arguably the most respected football journalist in Spain, and one of the highest prestige sports reporters in the world. He’s a a foremost authority on transfers, so when he writes something like this, you know it’s extremely credible. Coutinho wants a move to Barca, Liverpool are obviously against that, but you know how these situations always play out- eventually the player gets what he wants.
Balague goes on to say that the least likely outcome in this situation would be seeing the 25-year-old sign a new contract extension with the Reds. He also says that Barca will be making a fresh, and more expensive offer for the Brazilian:
“Things have changed. As you know in the summer Barcelona made three offers for Coutinho, and they are preparing another bigger one, 110m euros plus 40m euros add-on fees.”
“They are preparing it, they haven’t sent it yet to Liverpool. But I think everybody is under the impression that Liverpool have softened their stance, and are willing to listen.”
“They haven’t necessarily put a price on Coutinho, but they are thinking: ‘How about if we sold him now?’ Or, ‘how about agreeing a departure in the summer’.
“All of the possibilities are on the table, but perhaps the most unlikely one is Coutinho renewing his Liverpool contract.
“That is different from Liverpool’s stance in the summer. Liverpool cannot say anything yet because a new offer has not arrived, it is being prepared. It will arrive.”
Although it sounds now like a deal here could be an inevitable conclusion, it’s still difficult to imagine a deal gets done this month. Yes, Coutinho reportedly wants to go now, but Anfield wouldn’t want to part with a member of their “fab four” while they are still alive in the knockout round of Champions League, and battling for a spot in the top four of the Premier League.
A summer move seems more likely.
Since this report has been published, Barca boss Ernesto Valverde has been reached for comment, and he said, via translation:
“I do not have anything to say, he’s not a player of ours, he’s in another club, I do not say anything about him out of respect. Good player, of course… but do not know what will happen in the future. What comes, if it is coming, it will already come”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Sound Cloud, LinkedIn and YouTube.