Barcelona now see Philippe Coutinho as a major problem and are concerned they will not be able to sell him this summer, report Marca.
It is claimed the Brazilian playmaker is on an annual salary of €13.5m at the Blaugrana and that could be a major stumbling block for any move away from the Camp Nou this summer.
Coutinho’s flimsy performance in Tuesday night’s 4-0 defeat at Liverpool – at the player’s former home stadium – has come in for particular criticism from quarters of the Spanish media.
The Catalan giants signed the former Inter player from Liverpool in January 2018 in a deal worth an initial €120m plus a further €40m in add-ons, which may now never be fulfilled.
It is claimed that Coutinho’s most likely destination is a return to the Premier League, where he spent five-and-a-half seasons at the Merseyside club.
The Brazilian spent five-and-a-half years at the Reds, scoring 54 goals across 201 appearances as he blossomed into one of the most valuable players in world football, but his form has since dipped.