Liverpool Stars 'Resigned' to Coutinho Barca Departure With Rumoured £128m Deal Verbally Agreed

Liverpool's stars are "resigned" to seeing Philippe Coutinho depart Anfield for Barcelona in the January window.

The latest claim in the ongoing saga comes courtesy of Mundo Deportivo, who have alleged that the Reds' senior squad have tried to convince their playmaker to stay in the Premier League until the end of this term.

Coutinho, though, has his heart set on a transfer to Nou Camp next month and the report goes on to suggest that a £128m deal has been verbally agreed between Liverpool and La Blaugrana.

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Coutinho has played on for Jurgen Klopp's side throughout the current campaign despite his obvious desire to depart Merseyside and head for Spain.

The 25-year-old was denied a summer switch to Barcelona as Liverpool rejected four offers from the Catalan giants to lure him to the continent, but murmurings in recent weeks appear to suggest that a deal is almost inevitable.

Coutinho's representative - Kia Joorabchian - has been a go-between for the Reds' and Barca's deal brokers as he apparently sought to instigate a compromise that would allow Coutinho to join Ernesto Valverde's side in the winter window.

Part of that deal is believed to have come down to Coutinho agreeing to play for Liverpool during their Champions League campaign this term - a decision that would cup-tie him for Barcelona and prevent him from playing against his former club if they met in the latter stages of the tournament.

Liverpool's senior stars such as Jordan Henderson, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane have spoken of their desire to see Coutinho stay with his current side, but they appear powerless to stop him from completing a dream switch to La Liga.

Klopp is already hard at work trying to find suitable replacements for Coutinho's potential departure, with Monaco forward Thomas Lemar tipped to be a January recruit for the German boss.

Naby Keita, who is set to join Liverpool for a club-record £48m next summer, won't be joining up earlier than anticipated, however, after Klopp dismissed reports of a potential January move for the Leipzig midfielder.