Barca Eye Quick £100m Coutinho Deal as Liverpool Legend Vents His Frustrations Over Saga

Barcelona are hoping to tie up a £100m deal for Philippe Coutinho by the end of the week as another Liverpool legend claims the Reds should resist any and all offers.

The Brazilian playmaker is La Blaugrana's chief transfer target after they saw Coutinho's compatriot Neymar move to Paris Saint-Germain in a world-record £200m deal last Thursday.

The Daily Mirror has now claimed that Barca want a deal for Coutinho done by the end of the working week - a possible outcome which would have a huge impact on Jurgen Klopp's preparations ahead of his side's Premier League opener against Watford on Saturday.

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Various media reports on Tuesday hinted that Barcelona had sent a three-man delegation to the UK to try and thrash out a suitable offer for Coutinho, but Liverpool are refusing to budge as they slap a "not for sale" sign on their star man.

Coutinho has reportedly informed Liverpool's hierarchy of his wish to speak to Barcelona, and it is this that has given Ernesto Valverde's side fresh hope of securing his signature before Sunday's Spanish Super Cup clash against Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, Reds legend Steve Nicol has added his voice to Jamie Carragher's by stating that Liverpool's owners will have chosen "money over glory" if they decide to sell Coutinho.

Carragher had already voiced his concerns that Liverpool fans would "riot" if Coutinho was shipped off to Catalunya, and Nicol admitted that this saga could be the defining period in Fenway Sports Group's leadership of the Anfield-based side if they make the wrong decision.

He told ESPN (via the Liverpool Echo): “This is going to be a defining time for the Fenway group and their ownership. If Liverpool want to win the Premier League they are going to have to keep Coutinho. If they sell Coutinho they are going to have to start again.

“Liverpool fans are going to be absolutely distraught if Coutinho is allowed to go. If Liverpool turn around and say we let him go because he had made his mind up, he wasn't happy, don't give me that. It's nonsense.

“I want to hear that we want to have a chance of winning the Premier League and we're keeping our best players.

“If you sell him then get the white flags out. Somebody turn the lights out because it will be another 25 years before we win the Premier League.”

“Supporters spend their hard earned money on jerseys and on following the team, if they (the owners) go and sell the best player it tells me as far as they are concerned it's about making sure the business is okay and forgetting the glory.

“If they sell Coutinho it doesn't look like they are interested in the glory.”