- Guillem Balague reveals details of Barcelona’s imminent bid for Philippe Coutinho
- Brazilian keen to seal January move, with Liverpool reportedly more open to deal
- Barcelona must increase £118million offer they had rejected during summer
- SEE MORE: Coutinho’s new belief spells disaster for Liverpool
Guillem Balague has delivered a stern warning of Barcelona’s intentions to return for Philippe Coutinho during the January transfer window.
The Spanish football expert insists a bid from the Catalan giants is now imminent amid speculation suggesting Liverpool are increasingly open to negotiating a deal.
Barca saw three bids, the third worth up to £118million, rejected in the summer and will reportedly have to fork out £133million to tempt the Reds into business with them.
About Coutinho. Barcelona will soon make an offer of €110+40. Chairman Bartomeu feels in debt to him for how hard he’s trying to go to FCB. Their top players want him. LFC have changed their tone but have not put price to him. They will act when offer arrives. Which it will
— Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) January 2, 2018
In a string of familiar incidents, the likes of Andrés Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suarez and Paulinho have all publicly welcomed the signing of Coutinho in recent months.
All have combined with the notoriously unreliable Spanish press in reaffirming Barcelona’s active interest in luring the little magician to the Nou Camp.
With Coutinho’s proposed move to Barcelona having evolved into a question of when rather than if, Liverpool’s best hope is arranging a deal in principle that will see the No.10 remain a Red until the end of the season.
Regardless of Coutinho’s belief he won’t play for the club again, as reported by the Time’s Paul Joyce, Liverpool remain in the driving seat.
After seeing his transfer request come to no avail in the summer, Coutinho has since plied his trade in admirable fashion and threatened no signs of abandoning a focus on taking the Reds forward.
Liverpool’s decision-making need not be burdened by the risk of a negative response from their talisman if made to wait slightly longer for his boyhood dream.