Barcelona, Liverpool agree to $192M Coutinho transfer

BARCELONA, Spain — Philippe Coutinho is joining Barcelona after Liverpool agreed Saturday to sell the Brazilian in a deal that makes him one of the most expensive players in soccer history.

Barcelona did not reveal the cost of the deal for the 25-year-old playmaker but a person familiar with the details told The Associated Press that the transfer is worth 160 million euros ($192 million, 142 million pounds).

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly about the deal, which would be a club record for Barcelona.

Coutinho’s transfer cost is only surpassed by the Paris Saint-Germain acquisition of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe last summer.

Barcelona has now reinvested the 222 million euro windfall it received from PSG following Neymar’s world-record transfer to the French club in August.

Barcelona said Coutinho will sign a contract for the rest of the ongoing season and five more seasons.

Liverpool rejected three bids from Barcelona for Coutinho in August.

The Spanish league leaders broke their own transfer record to sign France forward Ousmane Dembele from Borussia Dortmund in August for a fee of 105 million euros that could rise to 147 million euros. Barcelona hoped to sign Coutinho at the same time but it has taken until the January transfer window to convince Liverpool to sell one of its most creative players.

Coutinho will arrive bearing high expectations to meet the lofty standards of Barcelona’s long line of skilled midfielders.

Barcelona has been searching for a player with the vision and passing talent of Xavi Hernandez since the Spain great left the club after 17 seasons to play in Qatar 21⁄2 years ago.