BARCELONA are set to launch a £133m offer for Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho in a bid to prise him away from Anfield this month.
Barcelona are desperate to finally land Philippe Coutinho after seeing their offers rebuffed last summer.
Liverpool have been reluctant to part with their star man but Balague claims they are now considering cashing in on the 25-year-old.
He states an offer of €110m (£97m) will be made up front with an extra €40m (£36m) in bonuses, imminently.
“About Coutinho. Barcelona will soon make an offer of €110+40,” Balague tweeted.
“Chairman Bartomeu feels in debt to him for how hard he’s trying to go to FCB. Their top players want him.
“LFC have changed their tone but have not put price to him. They will act when offer arrives. Which it will.”
Barca are flying high in La Liga, sitting nine points clear of Atletico Madrid and 14 points ahead of fourth-placed rivals Real Madrid.
But Barca’s stars are desperate to add quality to their ranks in a bid to challenge for the Champions League with the likes of Lionel Messi and Paulinho keen on Coutinho’s arrival.
Paulinho, who only moved to the Nou Camp in the summer, has made no secret of his wish for his fellow countryman to join him in Spain.
“Everyone expects the great players to come to Barcelona, we have a very strong group of great players, without Coutinho people are doing a great job,” he said last month.
“On Coutinho it is not necessary to say much, he is a great player who has been making a difference in his team, in the Brazilian team. He is young but with experience in Europe.
“I want him to come, I think it would be a great contract for Barca. It would be a great happiness for me, because we would have another great player and another Brazilian.”
Source:www.express.co.uk