Liverpool reject £90m Barcelona bid for Coutinho

LIVERPOOL have rejected a £90million bid for Philippe coutinho from Barcelona. The Merseyside club are adamant that the Brazilian playmaker will not be sold this summer, despite this third bid that follows Barca’s initial offers of £72m and £80m last month. Although coutinho has made Liverpool aware that he is keen to leave, they are fighting to resist the moves from Spain — especially so close to the new season. coutinho, 25, is expected to miss Liverpool’s Premier League fixture at Watford on Saturday with a back injury. he missed training again yesterday due to the same issue. he has been receiving treatment since Liverpool returned from a fitness camp in Germany last Thursday. Barcelona are desperate to sign the midfielder and they will be watching developments, particularly as Liverpool immediately head into a champions League qualifier against hoffenheim after the Watford game. Barcelona do not want their top transfer target cup-tied. Liverpool’s stance in the face of renewed speculation on coutinho is that he isn’t for sale, regardless of whether the catalans raise their offer for the Brazilian to £120m.

Sportsmail reported on July 20 that Liverpool rejected Barcelona’s opening offer of £72m. They turned down a second offer closer to £80m but now it seems a third bid could push the deal closer to completion. one positive update for Jurgen Klopp is that Daniel Sturridge, who suffered a thigh issue in 3-0 win against Bayern Munich last Tuesday, has started running again and could make the squad to face Watford. Sturridge had a scan when he returned to Merseyside to determine how much damage was done but it was more a fatigue issue and, assuming there are no more problems, the England striker could be involved in full training tomorrow.