Liverpool transfer news: Reds confident of keeping star Philippe Coutinho despite Barcelona interest due to lack of escape clause
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LIVERPOOL are confident that Philippe Coutinho will stay at the club amid Barcelona interest - as he doest not have an escape clause in his contract.
The influential Brazilian's deal does not have a buyout figure in his deal, which means the Premier League leaders hold all the cards.
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If a bid comes in, the Reds' American owners Fenway Sports Group would consult manager Jurgen Klopp as Europe's top clubs circle in on the star playmaker.
Barcelona's interest in Coutinho despite the triumvirate of Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar has been growing, while Paris Saint-Germain were also linked in the summer.
The front page of Catalan newspaper Sport carried the front-page headline “Objetivo Coutinho” yesterday, clearly insinuating the 24-year-old was the club’s No1 transfer target.
Suarez and Coutinho are close friends and the latter visited his former Liverpool team-mate at Barcelona's team hotel before their Champions League defeat by Manchester City 11 days ago.
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Neymar also stoked the fire after Brazil’s 3-0 win over Argentina on Thursday, when he claimed he and his international team-mate are “made to play with each other”.
Coutinho opened the scoring with Neymar adding a second in a famous win for the hosts at Belo Horizonte yesterday.
Coutinho’s current deal was signed a year and a half ago, while report Liverpool could change things should his impressive form continue, there are no immediate plans to rip up his existing deal.
An extension would not necessarily mean he will stay at Anfield, particularly given the furore when Luis Suárez signed a new deal in December 2013.
But he left the summer after with Barcelona triggering the £75million escape clause that was inserted into the contract.
And if Coutinho does sign a new deal, the subject of a release clause will almost certainly be discussed by agent Kia Joorabchian.
Liverpool signed Coutinho for £8.5m from Inter Milan in January 2013 and his value has soared, having scored six goals already this season from midfield.