Barcelona offer Coutinho ‘the moon’
Liverpool have been handed an unwanted distraction days out from the start of the Premier League season with cashed up Barcelona representatives desperate to sign star midfielder Philippe Coutinho.
With more than $400m in the bank following the sale of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona are reportedly ready to offer half that amount to move Coutinho from Anfield to the Nou Camp.
However, Liverpool appear firm on not letting him go, especially after he has only recently signed a four-year extension to his contract.
Liverpool have already rejected a big of more than $127m.
Coutinho, who is believed to be keen on the move, does not want to upset the club or its fans and has so far not handed in a transfer request.
Crucial to the whole deal going through, however, was Coutinho’s new contract does not include a release clause so the decision is
very much in the hands of the club’s owners.
Liverpool start their season with an away match at Watford. ❚ Champions Chelsea are expected to not let the start of the season interrupt their late trading with the club expected to make a $45m bid for Arsenal star Alex OxladeChamberlain.
Oxlade-Chamberlain has one year left on his contract and Arsenal might just be tempted to take the money now or end with nothing by season’s end.
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is also believed set to make a bid for Tottenham and England full-back Danny Rose before the transfer deadline expires. ❚ Arsenal, in the unusual position of not having Champions League football this season, continue to be the subject of rumours around the future of striker Alexis Sanchez who many still believe will head to Manchester City.
Paris St-Germain are believed to be ready to offer $142m for Sanchez, 28, as they try to beat Manchester City for his signature. ❚ Southampton are holding firm over the possible sale of defender Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool and have reportedly said the club would rather see him ‘‘rot in the stands’’ than sell.
According to the Express the club has the full support of its supporters who are ‘‘sick to death’’ of being bullied by Liverpool after the loss of successive players to Anfield.
On a brighter note for Southampton, the club has signed Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina in a record deal worth up to $32m.
The Gabon international, 23, made 42 appearances for Juventus in two seasons. ❚ Manchester United have given up on signing Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale.
‘‘I think now everybody knows he is going to stay,’’ Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said after the Uefa Super Cup final.
Bale himself said he was just concentrating on his football and not listening to anything. ❚ Huddersfield Town captain Mark Hudson has retired from playing and moved into a coaching role with the club.