The trending question among Liverpool fans is whether or not Philippe Coutinho will still be a Liverpool player by the time the Reds take on Watford in their season opener on August 12.
That’s the question that has been making among fans asking one another following the latest news from Spain on Tuesday night.
According to RAC1 – via Mundo Deportivo – the La Liga champions have now reached an agreement with the Brazilian midfielder.
All that needs to happen now, according to the report, is for the two clubs to agree on a fee and the transfer will be completed.
The Brazilian, as things stand, is close to becoming a Barcelona player.
The report adds that the final price for him coul exceed £80 million. The Catalan newspaper Sport revealed earlier this week that the Anfield giants will sell the 25-year-old if they receive an offer worth £89 million.
Mundo claim that the La Liga club officials will now travel to England in the hope of finalising the deal and securing his signature.
https://twitter.com/BarcaSpiral/status/889983952911556645
This news quickly filtered through to Liverpool fans on social media and, as you can probably imagine, there’s been a massive reaction.
Check out some of their tweets…
https://twitter.com/AlAjmiLFC/status/889966234741207040
https://twitter.com/shutupmimnagh/status/889966059469537282
If @LFC sell @Phil_Coutinho I might actually jump off a cliff, no joke like
— Mykel (@MykelMcCann) July 25, 2017
https://twitter.com/1staz_Br0him/status/889968086245228544
If @LFC sell @Phil_Coutinho I'll be VEXXXXDDDD!! ?
— George Dixon (@georgedix_PT) July 25, 2017
Fuck Coutinho ??? fuck barca MF #LFC #Barca
— Alan RoEs ?? (@ar2e) July 25, 2017
https://twitter.com/stevecarter99/status/889966882689867776
https://twitter.com/Cast_N0_Shadow/status/889966646365913091
If Coutinho is out, so am I #LFC
— D➿M (@that_deepguy) July 25, 2017
@LFC Be criminal if we sell @Phil_Coutinho
— Siraj Swoz Chowdhury (@AlphaMan78) July 25, 2017
I don't believe it's true but if we do sell coutinho we're back where we were when suarez left! He's that good! @LFC
— ian cleere (@iancleere) July 25, 2017
If @Phil_Coutinho goes @LFC is not a club anymore it's a business, letting an irreplaceable player go is just another step backwards :/
— Connor Howard (@Connor_howard7) July 25, 2017
https://twitter.com/MikeHarkoLFC/status/889968861293969408
If these Philippe Coutinho rumours are true then FSG need to fuck off and leave the club #lfc
— Stevo (@Joshstevoo) July 25, 2017
Would be heartbroken if he left. So crucial to us and the way we play. @Phil_Coutinho, please don't go? #LFC
— JP (@jpinLFC) July 25, 2017
https://twitter.com/Wallace_LFC/status/889971817217224705
https://twitter.com/AlAjmiLFC/status/889973402286665728
The Spanish outlet add that while Jurgen Klopp is desperate to hold onto him, the team’s star player, his sale would free up the funds to sign both Naby Keita and complete move for Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk.
But what will Barceona’s signing of Couthinho mean for the futurue of Neymar?
Neymar and Coutinho are close friends and it’s possible this is a ploy by Barcelona to convince the former to stay put.
Alternatively, this could be Barça’s way of bracing themselves for Neymar’s departure to Paris Saint-Germain.
Whatever their reasons for pursuing Coutinho, it promises to be a nervy few days for Liverpool supporters.