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Barcelona agreed to pay the £142m asking price for Philippe Coutinho due to pressure from star players Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, along with worries regarding Ousmane Dembele's injury problems. 

The Brazilian attacker signed for Barcelona from Liverpool in January for a huge fee, making him the second-most expensive player of all-time - despite the fact that Dembele had been signed only five months prior to his arrival.

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According to the Daily Express, the primary reason for Barcelona paying the excessive fee was due to Suarez and Messi wishing to see the player at the club as a replacement for Neymar, who had transferred to Paris Saint-Germain in the previous summer.

French star Ousmane Dembele had been acquired as the original replacement to Neymar, however he sat on the sidelines for four months after injuring his hamstring on the first day of the season, forcing Barcelona to make a move for Coutinho.

The talented South American winger has scored eight goals in 18 games for Barcelona since he arrived, making him a valuable addition to Barcelona's star-studded attacking force.

The player recently scored an impressive goal in a 1-1 draw against Switzerland in the World Cup, where Brazil will be hoping to continue their impressive record on the international stage.

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is currently searching for his own replacement for Coutinho, having recently failed to agree terms with Lyon for their impressive young attacker Nabil Fekir, and will likely now have to wait until the World Cup in Russia has finished before he can make any transfers.