Liverpool reject 72m-pound Barcelona bid for Philippe Coutinho

Hong Kong: Jurgen Klopp has insisted Liverpool are not a selling club after rejecting a 72-million-pound (Dh343.3 million) bid from Barcelona for Philippe Coutinho. Liverpool are adamant the Brazilian playmaker will stay at Anfield irrespective of a higher bid from the Spanish giants.

Barcelona have been heavily linked with the 25-year-old since the turn of the year but their opening offer was immediately rejected by Liverpool, who insist Coutinho is not for sale at any price. The Brazil international is close friends with Barcelona duo Neymar and Luis Suarez, who made the move from Merseyside in 2014, but signed a new five-year contract with Liverpool only last season.

Coutinho’s latest contract, worth around 150,000 pounds a week, does not contain a release clause and Liverpool have been braced for a move from Barcelona, who view the player as a long-term replacement for Andres Iniesta.

Speaking in Hong Kong, where Liverpool are competing in the Premier League Asia Trophy, Klopp said on Friday: “Yes [Coutinho is not for sale], but that’s not since this morning or yesterday, it’s not been any different. Phil is a very important player for us. He’s trying to get back his rhythm but there’s no doubt about his quality. He’s very smart both offensively and defensively. The nice news for us is that he’s still young. He has improved a lot since I’ve been here and he can still improve a lot.”

He said in May: “Go somewhere else, to Barcelona, to Bayern Munich, to Real Madrid, and you will be just another player. Here you can be something more. I have a long contract with Liverpool.”

Klopp’s stance on Coutinho is similar to Red Bull Leipzig’s position on Liverpool target Naby Keita, with the Bundesliga club rejecting a 66-million-pound offer from Anfield for the midfielder earlier this week.

Liverpool, however, have continued to pursue a deal for the Guinea international despite being informed directly by Leipzig officials that Keita will not be sold this summer.