Liverpool Transfer News: Philippe Coutinho Price Tag Revealed, Latest Rumours

Liverpool reportedly want to deter Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid from making a move for star midfielder Philippe Coutinho by slapping a £68 million price tag on the Brazil international.

That's according to Le10Sport (h/t the Daily Mirror's Aaron Flanagan), who reported that the Reds have no intention of selling the in-form midfielder. Sport's Lluis Miguelsanz (h/t the Sun's Anthony Chapman) previously claimed Coutinho is anxious to play for Barcelona and wants to make the move in 2017.

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The 24-year-old has been with the Reds since 2013 and has established himself as arguably the club's most important player. He's Liverpool's main creative outlet in midfield and also one of the team's top scoring options.

Per Liverpool's official Twitter account, he was recently rewarded with a Player of the Month award, underlining how important he is:

Barcelona have been linked with Coutinho before, with the Catalan media usually bringing up his close friendship with Blaugrana star Neymar. The two have known each other for a long time:

According to El Mundo Deportivo (h/t Goal), Neymar is desperate to play alongside his compatriot at club level, something he has alluded to in the past.

Miguelsanz even claims Coutinho's agents were in contact with Barcelona last year, and the representatives also contacted Real Madrid. A move to the Spanish capital seems highly unlikely, however, given Real's impending transfer ban, per BBC Sport.

It's easy to see why the Reds are desperate not to lose Coutinho in the near future―per Goal's Melissa Reddy, his performances this season rank among the Premier League's best:

The Brazilian is a dream fit for manager Jurgen Klopp's attacking philosophy built around speed and quick thinking. He's a great passer with a fantastic shot from long range, and he has the athleticism to be effective on the counter or on late runs into the box.

He's yet to give any indication he's actively looking for a move and signed a new long-term contract last year, keeping him at the club until 2020. With the squad seemingly committed to Klopp's exciting project, now would be an odd time to leave.

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One also has to wonder how Coutinho would fit in at Barcelona, where the trio of Neymar, Lionel Messi and former Liverpool star Luis Suarez are untouchable.

Spanish football expert Rafael Hernandez doubts whether Barcelona are actually interested in Coutinho, given their wealth of attacking depth:

A £68 million price tag isn't particularly steep when looking at some of the transfer fees clubs paid for top attacking and midfield talent last season, and the likes of Barcelona, Real and PSG sit high on the list of richest teams in the world.

Coutinho already ranks among the best playmakers in the Premier League, so if Liverpool are that desperate to keep him at Anfield, they might even hold out for more than £68 million.