Liverpool to let Philippe Coutinho join Barcelona

The Spanish side had made Coutinho their number onesummer target after Neymar's move to PSG.

Philippe Coutinho

Liverpool have agreed to let their star playmaker Philippe Coutinho join Barcelona, according to reports in Spain.

Spanish publication Sport claims the Catalan club have reached a complete agreement with the Reds, which will allow the Brazil international's make a switch from Anfield to the Camp Nou.

The Merseyside club's manager Jürgen Klopp has been desperate to keep hold of Coutinho. The German coach had earlier insistedon numerous occasions that the attacker was not for sale with the Merseyside club desperate to keep hold of him.

However, the top brass at Liverpool are open to the idea of allowing the player leave the club in the summer transfer window for a fee believed to be in excess of €100m (£90.3m). Liverpool had bought Coutinho from Italian side Inter Milan for £10m in 2012.

The La Liga outfit have cash in abundance after selling Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain for €222m (£200m) earlier this week. Barcelona have the funds at their disposal in completing big money signing.

Their representatives will return to England on Tuesday or Wednesday to finalise the final the details of the deal. News of Coutinho's seemingly impending move to Spain will be a huge blow to Klopp's plans with the Premier League season due to start on Saturday.

Barcelona had earlier in the summer seen their bids rejected twice by the Premier League club. But with Barcelona agreeing to pay in excess of €100m for a player, and with Coutinho seemingly interested for a move, there's little the club can do but allow the move to take place.

The Blaugarana will return in the coming days to seal the operation, on Tuesday or Wednesday, knowing their financial power is unquestionable after receiving £200m. Coutinho had been a key member of Klopp's renaissance at Liverpool, and was going to be the centrepiece of their offensive line for the 2017/18 season.

Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu will look to make amends after fans were left with bitter taste in their mouths following Neymar's move to the Paris outfit. PSG had also refused to sell their Italian international midfielder Marco Verratti to Ernesto Valverde's side, after initial persuasion.

The news of Coutinho's arrival could ease of any sort of pressure from Bartomeu's shoulders as his side look to regain their dominance in Spain, from the clucthes of Real Madrid.

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