Liverpool have sold playmaker Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona.
Philippe Coutinho poses prior to signing his new contract with FC Barcelona
Liverpool are set for a major cash windfall after selling playmaker Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona for £142million, as reported by BBC Sport.
The Reds fended off Barcelona over the summer as they attempted to land Coutinho as a replacement for his Brazilian international teammate Neymar, but they have finally relented.
Coutinho had starred this term with 12 goals and eight assists in 20 games in all competitions, with many praising his application despite seeing his dream move blocked over the summer.
Now, Coutinho is finally on his way to the Camp Nou, and fans are now hoping to see Liverpool sign a replacement – but the Reds may yet have a different plan in mind.
The Telegraph report that Liverpool are hoping to tempt RB Leipzig into accelerating Naby Keita’s already-agreed move to Anfield, bringing the deal forward to this month.
Liverpool agreed a deal back in August to sign Keita, but only starting from this summer, and it’s believed that Liverpool could offer more money on top of the £57million fee to complete the deal now.
RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita runs with the ball
Fans have taken to Twitter to offer their thoughts on a possible early deal for Keita, with some believing that he would be an ideal addition to the Liverpool midfield for the second half of the season after Coutinho’s exit.
However, others believe that Liverpool are wasting their time as Leipzig won’t let him leave, also highlighting that it would be ‘awful’ business for the club given that they really need Keita plus another player to replace Coutinho, rather than simply relying on Keita by spending more money on him.
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