It’s done.
Liverpool and Barcelona have reached an agreement: Philippe Coutinho will become a Barcelona player for the tidy sum of €160m.
The Brazilian playmaker, who did not travel with the rest of the Liverpool squad to Dubai for their training camp, has now been officially announced as a Barca player by both clubs. He will put pen to paper on a five-and-a-half-year deal.
#LFC and Barcelona have now reached an agreement of €160 million for Philippe Coutinho – a new British transfer record. An official announcement is expected by tomorrow. The Brazilian is travelling to Spain to complete his move.
— Melissa Reddy (@MelissaReddy_) January 6, 2018
Coutinho to Barcelona done. £142m.
— paul joyce (@_pauljoyce) January 6, 2018
Liverpool will receive around €110m up front, with the rest coming in performance-related add-ons, which include trophies won and if Coutinho scoops a Ballon d’Or.
It makes Coutinho the second-most expensive player of all time behind Paris-Saint Germain’s Neymar.
A statement on Liverpool’s website read:
“Liverpool FC can confirm Philippe Coutinho will be leaving the club after a transfer agreement was reached with FC Barcelona, subject to medical and agreement of personal terms.
“The player now has permission to complete the usual formalities to conclude the transfer immediately.”
Barcelona, meanwhile, revealed that his buyout clause is €400m in their statement:
“FC Barcelona and Liverpool FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of Philippe Coutinho. The player will sign a contract for the remainder of the season and five more, and will have a buyout clause of 400 million euros.”
👋 @Phil_Coutinho!
Bem-vindo! Welcome! Benvingut! ¡Bienvenido!🔵🔴 #BeBarça #ForçaBarça pic.twitter.com/NnQDY3CD0C
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 6, 2018
Liverpool rejected three bids from Barcelona in the summer, insisting that the player was not for sale. However, with Coutinho’s desire to move to the Camp Nou remaining undimmed, the Premier League club reluctantly softened their stance, allowing an acceleration in negotiations.
Coutinho will travel to Barcelona tonight and be unveiled as a Barcelona player tomorrow, if all goes to plan. He will not be able to appear in the Champions League for the Catalan giants as he has already turned out for the Reds in that competition. He will, though, add even more creativity and firepower to Barca’s glittering array of attacking talent.
Seems Coutinho is close to signing for Barcelona. Never saw that coming.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) January 6, 2018
With Ousmane Dembele – another massive money signing – returning from injury and with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez de boot, Ernesto Valverde has a mouthwatering ensemble of stars at his disposal.
It leaves Liverpool with a huge hole to fill. It’s not guaranteed that they will try to sign someone in the January transfer window and there have been suggestions that Jurgen Klopp is reasonably content with his squad at present, with Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino in his attack.
However, with Emre Can also tipped to leave Anfield in the summer, Klopp will need to bring in midfield reinforcements, even with Naby Keita arriving from RB Leipzig.
