It was no kept secret: Barcelona wanted Philippe Coutinho during the transfer window and were ready to break the bank for the Brazilian. The playmaker even wanted the move, handing in a transfer request to force an exit.
The Reds were not willing to sell their superstar… until deadline day, that is. This is according to Barcelona's director of professional sports Albert Soler who claimed the Merseyside giants were willing to sell for £185m (€200m).
“Yesterday, after weeks of offers and talks, Liverpool valued a player we wanted at €200m. We decided against that,” Soler said (as per the Daily Mail) in a press conference after the window shut close.
This will just add insult to injury for Barca fans, as Coutinho was seen as the ideal replacement for Neymar. The former Santos ace was signed up by PSG after the French giants triggered his release clause, leaving a huge hole to fill in Valverde’s attack.
The Catalan giants were ready to offer over £100m for the 25-year-old, but convincing Liverpool to sell proved too difficult. Barce’s last offer was reportedly worth £114m, but Klopp’s side turned down that bid.
This comes at a time when fans are angry at the Blaugrana board. Despite signing Ousmane Dembele, the Copa del Rey champions endured a disappointing transfer window. However, Soler insisted that Barca would not be forced into unhealthy spending.
“The fact he activated a clause unilaterally and left for €222m (£198m) caused everyone to know that we had money. We managed to avoid jeopardising the club's heritage and finances. We won't play in this inflated market."
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