Barcelona Transfer News: Philippe Coutinho Rumours, Ousmane Dembele Latest

Liverpool are reportedly ready to "OK" Philippe Coutinho's move to Barcelona, with a transfer said to be edging closer.

That's according to Sport (h/t Annie Eaves of Sport Witness), who have suggested the Reds would be willing to accept an offer of around €100 million (£90 million). The report added that "‘Barcelona will send a representation to the English city this week to close the operation."

"Little by little the work of representatives of the Catalan club has been undermining the leaders of Liverpool," according to the Sport report, per Eaves. "It should not be forgotten that the British club is run by a fund, Fenway Sports Group, led by John Henry, which is basically driven by money and profits."

Additionally, according to Paul Hetherington of the Daily Star Sunday, Barcelona would be ready to pay £120 million for the Brazilian, per BBC's Neil Henderson:

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has made it clear as of late that the Reds do not want to sell Coutinho and encouraged Barcelona to "save their energy" instead of chasing the Brazilian, per ESPN FC.

However, it appears confidence is high in Catalonia that Barcelona will get their man, as they seek to fill the attacking hole in their side left by the sale of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain.

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Journalist Rafael Hernandez noted the local press have been wide of the mark in regards to other potential Barcelona targets as of late and wouldn't be surprised if things were similar with Coutinho:

The Reds shouldn't be under any major pressure to sell, after all. Compared to a lot of their Premier League rivals, they have resisted the urge to spend big in the transfer window, while their star man is tied down to a long-term contract at Anfield.

Given how bullish Klopp has been in public on the player's situation, selling him now would not only leave their coach undermined but the Reds fanbase extremely unhappy, too.

Ousmane Dembele Blow

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According to Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke, Ousmane Dembele will "definitely stay" at the club despite interest from Barcelona.

With Neymar gone, Dembele has been tipped as a potential target for the Blaugrana after two incredible seasons with Stade Rennais and then with BVB. But when asked about a potential €100 million offer for the winger, Watzke told Eurosport (h/t ESPN FC) "in every case, [the transfer fee is] not enough."

"I remember Kevin De Bruyne, he was the Bundesliga's record transfer," Watzke added. "When you see the years after, it was not the best transfer though as the team lost lots of quality. I think we've made clear that [Dembele] will stay with us...he will definitely stay."

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As noted by Kaveh Solhekol of Sky Sports News, if Dortmund were to sell the player for the amount aforementioned, they would make an extraordinary profit:

Dembele may not be up to the standard of Neymar yet, although he is a footballer with incredible potential. He's supreme on both feet, can dribble, pass and score goals, too. If Barcelona want a dynamic option on that flank to replace the Brazilian, he fits the bill.

Dortmund have regularly cashed in on their star players in recent seasons, and with that in mind, the Blaugrana may view the 20-year-old as an attainable target. It will be fascinating to see if BVB can fight off the advances of the Catalan giants.