Report: Liverpool want Rafinha without Coutinho going to Barcelona

Liverpool are ready to pay £35.8m for Barcelona’s Rafinha but want negotiations to be separate from any potential Coutinho deal.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is keen to bring Rafinha to the club from Barcelona, reports Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, but sees it as entirely separate from the speculation surrounding Philippe Coutinho.

Klopp was hopeful of signing the midfielder before any rumours of Coutinho leaving for the Camp Nou surfaced and has asked Reds sporting director Michael Edwards to push a deal through.

Rafinha of FC Barcelona celebrates after scoring the opening goal.

It is believed that the Merseyside club are willing to sanction between £26.8m and £35.8m for the 24-year-old, who in turn has admitted that his future is “open”.

One key factor that could potentially be behind Rafinha being convinced to move to Anfield is regular game time and therefore more prospects of being included in Brazil’s squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

According to the Daily Express, any potential transfer would be negotiated entirely separately from Barca’s ongoing pursuit of Coutinho.

The Catalans are extremely keen on the 25-year-old and have already seen an opening bid of £72m for the Brazilian rejected by the Premier League club – as reported by the BBC.

Philippe Coutinho of Liverpool.