Sports

Barcelona claim Philippe Coutinho was for sale but were unwilling to pay Liverpool’s €200m asking price

Published

6 years ago

September 2, 2017

Club sources insisted that the midfielder was not for sale at any price but director of professional sports Albert Soler claims that stance changed

Barcelona have claimed that Liverpool named their price for Philippe Coutinho – but they were unwilling to pay it.

Barca embarked on a lengthy pursuit of the Brazilian following the £200m departure of Neymar to PSG with Coutinho himself submitting a formal transfer request following two failed bids.

Club sources have insisted that the midfielder was not for sale at any price this summer but Barcelona director of professional sports Albert Soler claims that stance changed on deadline day in Spain.

Coutinho hasn’t played for Liverpool yet this season but scored for Brazil

“On Friday, after weeks of offers and talks, Liverpool put a price on the player that we wanted [Coutinho],” he said alongside sporting director Robert Fernandez in a news conference on Saturday.

“A price of €200m and we decided we wouldn’t do it. That’s an example of the way football is now. This club and this board will not get involved in that, though. What’s happened in the transfer market this summer has taken us to a totally different model of football which we’re not used to.”

Barca struggled in their chase for replacements for Neymar eventually sealing a move for Borussia Dortmund’s Ousmane Dembele, the French youngster joining in a deal worth an initial €105m.

The summer window has seen spending spiral across Europe and Soler conceded that his club weren’t willing to compete on such inflated terms.