Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho will join Barcelona in January for a deal ‘in excess of €150m’, according to reports.
Amid suggestions the Brazilian international has told the English club he has no intention of continuing to play for the club should he not be granted a move, Goal.com’s Melissa Reddy states a deal is close.
Such a deal would see the 25-year-old become the Blaugrana’s record signing, surpassing the initial €105m paid for Ousmane Dembele from Borussia Dortmund this summer.
It would make him officially the world’s second most expensive player – behind only €222m Neymar, who left the Camp Nou in summer – but would be surpassed by Kylian Mbappe’s €170m future permanent move to Paris Saint-Germain.
The former Inter player was excluded from the New Year’s Day win at Burnley, fuelling rumours his exit from Anfield was edging closer.
This week, Diario Sport reported he is ‘very, very, very close’ to moving to the Catalan giants with El Mundo Deportivo concurring that officials of Barca are currently in England to negotiate a deal.
