BARCA-BOUND COUTINHO HANDS IN TRANSFER PLEA

London/Barcelona, Aug. 11: Barcelona target Philippe Coutinho has submitted a formal transfer request to Liverpool, defying the Premier League club’s insistence that they will not release him, a British newspaper reported on Friday.

After reports that Liverpool had rejected a second bid worth 100 million euros ($117 million) from Barcelona, whose 80 million offer for the 25year-old attacking midfielder had been rebuffed last month, the club’s ownership group released a statement.

“We wish to offer clarity as regards our position on a possible transfer of Philippe Coutinho,” Fenway Sports Group said.

“The club’s definitive stance is that no offers for Philippe will be considered and he will remain a member of Liverpool Football Club when the summer window closes.”

But shortly afterwards, the Liverpool Echo reported that Coutinho had sent an email to Liverpool’s sporting director Michael Edwards expressing his wish for a move.

Liverpool did not respond to a request for comment. In releasing their statement, the club hoped they had taken a tough enough stance to end further talk of a move.

Instead, they had upped the ante less than 24 hours before their Premier League opener against Watford, a game for which manager Juergen Klopp said the Brazilian was injured. Neymar should be free to make his Paris SaintGermain debut at Guingamp on Sunday after Barcelona confirmed on Friday the 222 million-euro ($261 million) cheque used to pay his buyout clause had cleared. Barcelona must now deliver his transfer certificate to the Spanish Football Federation before Sunday who will then pass it to the French Football Federation for the Brazilian to be registered.