LIVERPOOL DEMANDED RM1BIL FOR COUTINHO, SAY BARCA
BARCELONA: A leading Barcelona board member claimed Liver
pool set an asking price of 200mil (RM1bil) for midfielder Philippe Coutinho as the Catalan giants criticised the rampant inflation in the football transfer market.
Albert Soler, Barca’s director of institutional relations, said the club’s under-fire board would not put the future of the institution at risk by bending to excessive demands.
“Liverpool put a price of
200mil on a player that we wanted,” Soler told reporters at a press conference held to explain Barca’s haphazard signing policy this summer.
Barca ended the window making a slight profit on transfers after receiving a world record
222mil (RM1.1bil) from Neymar’s move to Paris St Germain.
Despite splashing over 190mil (RM961mil) on five signings, most
notably 105mil (RM531mil) on 20-year-old French winger Ousmane Dembele, Soler claimed Barca wouldn’t been drawn into an arms race with the cash- rich English Premier League and Qatar-backed PSG.
“We didn’t want to put at risk the heritage of the club. This is a club of 150,000 members and has to be managed with coherence and responsiblity,” added Soler.
“We won’t get involved in the game of a market that has lost its way.
“This board won’t put the club at risk. UEFA and the European Clubs Association (ECA) have to reflect and make a decision.”
UEFA announced on Friday that PSG will be investigated for a potential breach of Financial Fair Play ( FFP) rules after adding France’s Kylian Mbappe to the capture of Neymar from Monaco
in a deal that could rise to 180mil (RM911mil).
Soler dismissed claims that Barca’s status as one of the world’s leading clubs is being threatened by their inability or unwillingness to match the lavish spending of other clubs.
“We haven’t lost any international status for having common sense and not putting the financial viability of the club at risk.”
Barca also insist that five-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi will soon sign a new contract, tying him to the club until 2021.
The club announced the agreement of the deal with Messi, 30, on July 5, but the Argentine has yet to formally put pen to paper.
“I want to send a message of calm to the members. There is no problem,” added Soler over the delay.
“When the club announced an agreement it is validated by both parties.
“All that is lacking is the protocol.”