Philippe Coutinho Price Reportedly Set at £89M Amid Barcelona Transfer Rumours

Liverpool have reportedly set their asking price for playmaker Philippe Coutinho at £89 million, and Barcelona are "stepping up their interest" in signing the Brazilian. 

According to Spanish outlet Sport (via MailOnline's James Dutton), Barca had a £72 million bid for Coutinho turned down last week, but they have now set up meetings with the player's agent and Liverpool representatives to try to push through a deal. 

However, Sport's Joaquim Piera suggested there has been no official offer, and Barca are only prepared to pay €80 million (£71.6 million) for Coutinho. The Spanish club are "aware [he] wants to play at the Camp Nou."

Liverpool are said to be "unlikely" to accept any offer at all for Coutinho before they have played in the UEFA Champions League play-off, with the second leg scheduled for August 22 or 23, per Mundo Deportivo (via Jack Staplehurst in the Express).

Meanwhile, Mundo Deportivo (via Dutton) reported new Blaugrana manager Ernesto Valverde is eager to complete moves for Coutinho and Guangzhou Evergrande's Paulinho this summer, but the club are aware it will not be easy.

Rumours linking Coutinho to Barcelona have been swirling for some time, and fellow Brazilian Neymar has regularly stated he would like the 25-year-old to join him at the Camp Nou, per Mundo Deportivo (via the Liverpool Echo's David Prentice).

Liverpool would be loath to let him go as he is arguably the club's best player and biggest star.

Coutinho only signed a new deal with the Reds to 2022 in January, and manager Jurgen Klopp recently insisted the forward is happy at the club, per Goal's Melissa Reddy:

If Barcelona are prepared to meet Liverpool's reported asking price, they could yet get their man, and he would likely slot in well with the Catalan giants.

Coutinho has all the attributes to work alongside Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, and he is young enough that Barca could well see value in spending nearly £90 million on him.