Coutinho going nowhere — Liverpool

LONDON: Liverpool insisted that Philippe Coutinho would not be sold at any price amid reports the Brazil star has submitted a transfer request in a bid to force a move to Barcelona.

Coutinho is Barcelona’s top target to replace Neymar following the striker’s world record move to Paris SaintGermain.

After having two previous offers rejected, the Spanish club are believed to have increased their bid for the Liverpool forward to £90 million.

Liverpool are determined to hang onto Coutinho no matter what offer Barca make, but the 25-year-old is keen to move to the Camp Nou and reports on Friday claimed he tried to push his club into letting him leave by sending an email containing the official transfer request.

Coutinho’s demand is believed to have been rejected by Liverpool, who only hours earlier had gone public with their intent to keep the playmaker at all costs.

A statement issued by Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool’s US-based owners, said: “We wish to offer clarity as regards our position on a possible transfer of Philippe Coutinho.

“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 (transfer) window closes.”

FSG’s statement was an endorsement of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp’s previous comments that Coutinho was not going anywhere.

And the German boss, speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Liverpool’s 2017/18 Premier League season opener away to Watford, said: “I think if somebody, in this case FSG, is saying something like this it is the statement. — AFP