Coutinho Inches Closer to Departure

We all know it’s almost definitely a done deal. What we’re still waiting to find out is when it’ll happen and (more importantly at this point) how much for. Melissa Reddy broke the news earlier today that Barcelona is gearing up to bid €150 million (£133 million), and Paul Joyce is now reporting that Barcelona has increased that fee to €160 million (£142 million).

If that fee comes through, £106 million of it will be the base figure, with the remaining £36 million taking the form of more realistic add-ons than the ones Barcelona had proposed last summer. Instead of Coutinho having to win the Ballon d’Or, the rest of the sum will now be linked to the player making a set number of appearances for Barcelona or the club winning silverware this season.

So, it looks like a viable deal is in the works (and like it’s going to happen in January after all). And according to Joyce, Coutinho believes that to be the case, too. None of Liverpool’s attempts to get Coutinho to stay through the summer have worked, and apparently Coutinho believes he’s played his last game for the club. And all that before today’s FA Cup clash, too.

That’s about it for your hourly Coutinho update. We’ll see you back here when the next ridiculous part of this saga breaks.