Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho has agreed terms with Barcelona over a switch to the La Liga club this summer, according to Catalan Radio RAC1.
However, Barcelona will face an uphill task to complete a deal with Liverpool, as FootTheBall had reported last week that the Reds have turned down a £72million bid from Barca for attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho – and have informed the La Liga club not to table another offer as the Brazilian is not for sale.
Coutinho is the highest paid player at Liverpool after signing a five-year deal with the Reds earlier this year – taking home a wage packet of £150,000-a-week.
The Reds have made it clear that they will not allow their star player to leave and have no interest in negotiating a transfer deal for the Brazilian.
Liverpool, who have returned to Champions League football and is preparing to challenge for the Premier League title in the upcoming season, are not in a mood to lose any of their star players.
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp wants to bring the glory days back at Liverpool and Coutinho is in his plans for the long-term future.
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Barcelona directors arrived in London on Tuesday to discuss personal terms with Coutinho’s representatives and now they will go back to Liverpool with an improved offer.
The Barca bosses have identified Coutinho as a long-term replacement for Andres Iniesta.
The La Liga club are desperate to sign Coutinho as they want Neymar to change his mind about leaving Barcelona for a world-record move to PSG.
Sources also reveal that the Barca hierarchy will push for roping in Coutinho regardless of whether Neymar stays at Nou Camp this summer.
The two players were pals as youth team players before becoming international team-mates. Neymar is the last Brazilian standing at the Nou Camp and it is believed that this is one of the reasons why the former Santos player wants to make a switch this summer.
The expected world record move will see Neymar join his international team-mates Dani Alves and Thiago Silva at the Parc des Princes.
Neymar wants more Brazilian players at Barcelona and had publicly backed a move for Coutinho last season.
Liverpool are not willing to sell their prized asset but a mega-money offer can force them to change their mind.
The Reds could hold out for as much as £89.5m for Coutinho, who played for Espanyol before making a switch to Liverpool from Inter Milan in 2013.