Liverpool transfer news: Virgil van Dijk still open to Anfield move

Liverpool transfer news: Can Coutinho claims be trusted

07 August

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp may be insisting that Philippe Coutinho is not for sale, but he has failed to convince the media. A growing number of reports in England, Spain and Brazil claim that the Brazil star is edging towards a move to Barcelona.

Among them is one from the Daily Star, which states that "Coutinho has emerged as Barcelona's top target to replace Neymar" and that a deal could go through this week.

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The paper flags up a report from Brazil that says Liverpool have accepted an offer of £90m for the player and personal terms have been agreed. But even if the report turns out to be a red herring the Star claims separately that Barcelona are prepared to increase their offer to £120m if necessary.

There's a chance Coutinho will stay if Sky Sports is to be believed. It says that although the 25-year-old wants to move to Barcelona he doesn't want to "rock the boat at Anfield" and will only leave "if a deal can be done amicably".

That prospect seems unlikely. Coutinho signed a new five-year contract – that doesn't include a buyout clause –in January and the club remain adamant he's not for sale.

The Liverpool Echo is also refusing to give up and accuses the Spanish press of playing a "confusing game" with its coverage of the deal. The paper points out that several Spanish publications were adamant that a deal would be announced last week and says the transfer fee sounds unrealistic.

"Would Liverpool really sell Coutinho for €90m euros?" it asks. "There'd be a riot if they did." It insists that the reports should be taken with "a pint of salt".

Liverpool transfer news: Barcelona come for Coutinho

3 August

With Neymar now all but a Paris Saint-Germain player, Barcelona are already on the hunt for his replacement and according to the Daily Star their shortlist consists of Philippe Coutinho and Angel di Maria.

Although Liverpool gaffer Jurgen Klopp has ruled out the possibility of selling his Brazilian magician, French outlet Le 10 Sport claims that the Reds have told the Catalan club that he can be theirs for £110m.

That's £15m more than Barca had envisaged but having just banked £198m from the sale of Neymar they are expected to meet Liverpool's asking price.

Apparently "negotiations are expected to take place over the next few days" with officials from Barcelona already in England to thrash out a deal with the Merseysiders. And if one can't be thrashed, then the Star says that the Spanish giants will turn to Di Maria.

The PSG striker is currently pondering his future with the arrival of Neymar and it may just be that the French side will offload the former Manchester United to recuperate some of the £198m they shelled out for Neymar.

Meanwhile Klopp has expressed his dismay at the Neymar transfer, says the Star. Speaking after Liverpool had lost a penalty shootout to Atletico Madrid in the Audi Cup, the German said of the PSG swoop: "I thought Financial Fair Play was introduced so situations like this could not happen but it seems to be more of a suggestion than a real rule. I don't understand how it happens but I hope this is not the next step. I hope it will stay the exception but you never know."

Coutinho will not be sold, insists Liverpool boss Klopp

1 August

Philippe Coutinho is going nowhere this month, Jurgen Klopp has told the Liverpool Echo, as the Reds boss looks to quash the growing speculation that the Brazilian is being discreetly lured to the Camp Nou by Barcelona.

With Neymar reportedly edging towards Paris Saint-Germain, rumours gathered pace at the weekend that Barca had identified the Liverpool playmaker as the man to replace their current South American sizzler.

But Klopp is adamant that even if the Spanish side, who reportedly offered £72m for Coutinho last month, came back with a bigger bid, it would still be rejected.

"There is no other way to interpret it - he is not available to be sold," Klopp told a press conference when asked about his player who is contracted to Anfield until 2022. "The word 'not' means there is no interpretation for that. It's nothing new, is it?"

The Echo says that Klopp's position is considerably strengthened by the fact that there is no release clause in Coutinho's contract that Barca could trigger.

And the Echo also reports Klopp's reaction when asked if there was any truth in the rumour that he was on the tail of Augsburg's Swiss goalkeeper Marwin Hitz. "No, we aren't in the running for him," replied the German, "He's a good goalie but we have enough good goalies."

Elsewhere and Metro says that Southampton are still "battling" to keep Virgil van Dijk despite the fact that their captain "seems determined to force a transfer to Anfield".

At the start of the summer the Saints threatened to throw the book at the Reds for making illegal approaches to the Dutch defender. And while that warning prompted Liverpool to back off, Metro says that Van Dijk is still casting covetous looks at Liverpool and consequently he's been "banished from first-team training by Mauricio Pellegrino".

The Saints manager intends to leave Van Dijk in the doghouse until he is fully committed to the club but for the time being Van Dijk is still dreaming of becoming a Red.

Liverpool transfer news: Pulisic to replace Coutinho

31 July

Jurgen Klopp will reignite his interest in Borussia Dortmund's teenage sensation Christian Pulisic if Barcelona lure Philippe Coutinho from Anfield next month.

The Sun says that the Spanish giants are on the brink of losing their battle to keep Neymar with the South American magician expected to move to Paris Saint-Germain this week in a deal that will earn him £55m a year in wages.

Barcelona are therefore making arrangements to fill the considerable void Neymar will leave behind and the Sun says that Coutinho is their Plan A with the club "ready to pay more than £80m" for his services.

It's been rumoured that the Brazilian would relish a move to the Camp Nou, and that's why Liverpool are zeroing in on 18-year-old Pulisic.

Klopp has long been an admirer of the Borussia Dortmund youngster and believes the American international will become a "global superstar in the future". But the Reds may have their work cut out trying to prise Pulisic from Germany because Dortmund have no intention of selling having already rebuffed the Reds advances once in the last year.

It was a similar story with Leipzig’s Naby Keita, who was courted recently by Liverpool, only for the Bundesliga club to turn down what the Sun says was a £70m offer from the Merseysiders.

Meanwhile the paper says that Roma "have made an approach" for Mamadou Sakho and were told by Liverpool that the French centre-back can be theirs for £30m. Crystal Palace, who took Sakho on loan last season, are also interested but may not have the financial muscle to match the Italian club.

Liverpool transfer news: Barcelona launch Coutinho raid

26 July

Barcelona officials are in "London to try and sign Philippe Coutinho", reports the Daily Express, which means either they need to brush up on their geography or the Reds are sending officials south for talks in the Big Smoke.

The paper claims that despite Liverpool's insistence the player is not on the market they "will sell if the clubs agree on a good transfer figure".

Reports from Spain claim that Barcelona had a £72m bid for Coutinho rejected last week by the Reds, and there are further insinuations that Coutinho has set his heart on a transfer to Spain.

The Brazilian has become an integral member of Liverpool's squad and he's already warming up nicely for the new season, scoring and providing an assist as the Merseysiders won the Premier League Asia Trophy last Saturday.

The Express notes that Coutinho signed a new five-year contract worth around £8m-a-year in January but despite that deal the paper says that Barcelona "are refusing to give up on him and are expected to test Liverpool's resolve" with a new and improved offer for the midfielder.

It's believed that Liverpool have slapped a £89m price tag on Coutinho and although Jurgen Klopp is adamant he will not lose his star man it's believed the Reds board would sell if their valuation is met.

And there's more worrying news for Reds fans over at Talksport with their claim that Juventus "are ready to step up their pursuit" of Emre Can after hearing that he won't sign a new contract at Anfield.

Apparently the Germany international midfielder is "locked in talks over a new deal" with Liverpool chiefs but no deal is on the horizon even though the Reds have promised to give him a pay increase if he extends his current deal beyond 2018. Can is refusing to play ball, however, and Talksport say that Juventus are "putting together a formal offer of around £30m, which they will place in the next 48 hours".