Liverpool Transfer News: Philippe Coutinho Contract Discussed by Jamie Carragher

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher believes Philippe Coutinho's new contract at Anfield will not prevent him from joining Barcelona if they come calling, just as Luis Suarez's did not.

He told Sky Sports (via The Telegraph):

"We've had plenty of players in the past Liverpool who have signed big contracts then moved on.

'If Coutinho wasn't happy he wouldn't sign a contract. We hear there's no release clause which again doesn't mean everything.

"Liverpool are no different to every other club in world football besides two. If Barcelona or Real Madrid come for one of your players and pay what you want, they're going, because 99 per cent of players want to play for those two clubs.

"If that happens, it means, if they're unbelievable for Liverpool, then you have to thank him, as we did with [Suarez]."

According to The Telegraph, the five-year deal is worth in excess of £200,000 per week.

Here's some insight as to why the Brazilian warranted the new contract:

However, as encouraging as it is that Coutinho put pen to paper, Suarez does indeed offer a cautionary tale:

The playmaker has not quite hit the level the Uruguayan achieved during his time at Anfield, but he is among the Reds' most important players as one of their biggest creative threats in the final third.

Prior to his two-month absence through injury earlier this season, he had looked as though he'd added some consistency to his game, which was the last ingredient he needed to become a top-quality player.

However, that will only make him more attractive to the likes of Barca, who could not only match his wages but offer a much greater chance of silverware and the opportunity to play with the likes of Lionel Messi, which Liverpool cannot compete with.

Carragher has a point—should a club like Barcelona want to sign one of your players, it's more often a case of when they go, rather than if.

Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images

The lack of a release clause could be important, though.

In theory, it allows Liverpool to refuse any offer that comes in no matter the size, though it's unlikely to have that effect in practice—every player has a price, and if they're also pushing to leave, letting them go might be the best course of action.

Nevertheless, it means the Reds can demand what they want from any interested parties, who will need to negotiate with them in order to hold talks with the player—they can't meet the clause and skip straight to the contract offer.

Given his importance to the club, Liverpool likely wouldn't accept anything except an inordinate offer for Coutinho.

They'll be hoping he sees out his deal, though, as they look to build a team that can compete for Premier League titles each year and in the UEFA Champions League.