BARCELONA believe they have Philippe Coutinho in the bag.
The Catalan giants are confident of landing the Liverpool playmaker in a £90million deal this week. Jurgen Klopp’s Reds are determined to keep hold of the Brazilian and rejected an opening £72m approach.
But Barca are flush with cash following the £198m sale of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain and are now preparing a fresh five-year deal.
The German now faces a battle to keep hold of the 27-cap South American.
The transfer could become the joint second biggest in history and match the £90m deal that Manchester United struck with Everton to sign Romelu Lukaku — of which they paid £75m up front.
Coutinho was absent from the Reds’ 2-1 friendly win over Athletic Bilbao in Dublin on Saturday with a back complaint. Klopp said: “Phil had back problems so there was no reason for any risks.”
Barca are also closing in on a £90m deal to sign Ousmane Dembele from Dortmund.
The France winger, 20, turned down a move from Rennes last summer because he did not want to sit on the bench.
From The Sun
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