Bumper transfer deal accidently leaked?
Nike may have leaked one of the biggest mooted football transfers of the January window, with a page on its website momentarily seeming to confirm that Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho had signed for Barcelona.
On Sunday morning a webpage on Nike’s website - Coutinho’s boot sponsor and Barcelona’s kit sponsor - showed the text ‘‘Philippe Coutinho is ready to light up Camp Nou. Get your 2017/18 FC Barcelona kit with the Magician’s name on it.’’
It is unclear whether this was a hoax or the work of hackers, however the Daily Express in Britain reported hours before the supposed leak appeared that Liverpool and Barcelona had agreed to a £125million (NZ$238 million) transfer deal for January.
On Sunday, Coutinho played most of Liverpool’s 2-1 win over Leicester at Anfield.
Barcelona heavily pursued the Brazilian ace in the European summer, but failed to convince the Merseyside club to part ways with the star.
It was reported that Liverpool turned down a £115million (NZ$219 million) bid from Barcelona for Coutinho in August. This offer was one of three the Spanish club was reported to have made for Couthino. The next transfer window opens on January 1.
In Spain, local newspaper Mundo Deportivo recently reported that Coutinho was looking for a house in the country.
Coutinho, 25, has played 141 times for Liverpool as an attacker or attacking midfielder. He has scored 41 goals for the side after he was signed by Brendan Rodgers from Inter Milan in 2013.
This season, he has scored seven Premier League goals and has provided six assists.
He was an integral member of the 2013-14 Liverpool side that finished second in the English Premier League. They narrowly missed out on winning the title after two poor late season results to Chelsea and Crystal Palace.
He will be reunited with Luis Suarez if he moves to Barcelona, who spearheaded that Liverpool side.
There have been suggestions in the UK press that Liverpool now need to sell Coutinho to fund the transfer of defender Virgil van Dijk, who recently moved from Southampton to Liverpool.
Van Dijk’s move was made official on Saturday for a £75million (NZ$142.14 million) fee.
Speaking after his side’s win over Leicester, Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp poured cold water on claims that Coutinho’s sale was needed to balance the club’s books after signing van Dijk.
‘‘Nobody told me that. I have no information about that. No,’’ Klopp said.