Nike advertises Coutinho name on Barcelona shirt
LONDON: Sports apparel manufacturer Nike has created a flurry of speculation around the future of Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho after it appeared to use his name in an advertisement on its website to promote Barcelona apparel.
The advertisement, which read “Philippe Coutinho is ready to light up Camp Nou“, was deleted shortly after it appeared and it was unclear if the advertisement was genuine or the website had been hacked, the BBC and other British media reported.
The Catalan side, however, made several attempts at signing the Brazilian last year but could not reach the €200 million (RM975 million) Liverpool wanted for the midfielder, local media reported at the time.
Barcelona said in October they were ready to mount a new bid for the 25-year-old in the January transfer window.
Coutinho missed the start of the Premier League season with injury but has been in strong form, scoring seven times in the league for the Merseyside club.
Barcelona sold winger Neymar to Paris Saint Germain for a world record fee of €222 million last August, before spending an initial €105 million on Borussia Dortmund’s Ousmane Dembele.
Meanwhile, Virgil van Dijk has worn a Liverpool shirt for the first time after completing his £75 million (RM408 million) move from Southampton yesterday.
The Reds have splashed out a world record-breaking deal for a defender after going close to securing his signature in the summer.
The 26-year-old will not be able to play against Burnley late yesterday but could make his debut in the FA Cup third-round clash with Everton. Agencies