Liverpool Transfer News: Latest Rumours on Philippe Coutinho and Demarai Gray
Barcelona do not want to sign Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho, according to Guillem Balague of Sky Sports.
The Spanish football expert refuted the idea Barca will pursue the Brazilian No. 10 this summer during a live blog for Sky Sports: "There are more stories coming out that Barcelona want Coutinho, and I think he might be willing to go, but Barcelona are not after him. It's just moves the agents are making to try to convince Barcelona to move for him. But they do not want him."
Balague's words will come as a relief for many Liverpool supporters, who would not want to see their key creative player leave Anfield this summer. Coutinho has emerged as the fulcrum of manager Jurgen Klopp's forward-thinking team this season.
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The former Espanyol loanee has used his vision, flair and artistry to guide Liverpool to third in the Premier League. Along the way, Coutinho has scored 10 goals and provided six assists, per WhoScored.com, offering tangible evidence of his value and influence in the final third.
It's little wonder Barca have been linked so often with a midfielder who boasts such guile and technical acumen. A recent report from TransferMarketWeb (h/t Jack Staplehurst of the Daily Express) indicated Liverpool would consider an offer worth £51 million from the Camp Nou for their South American maestro.
Another recent report, this one from Spanish publication Sport (h/t Uche Amako of the Daily Express) said Coutinho's agent, Kia Joorabchian, had been meeting with Barca to discuss a transfer.
Still just 24, Coutinho may seem like the ideal successor to the 32-year-old Andres Iniesta. However, Barca sporting director Robert Fernandez recently told Cadena SER (h/t ESPN FC's Samuel Marsden) he expects Iniesta to sign a new contract this summer.
That would make it more likely Balague's assertion Barca won't go after Coutinho will prove true.
Reds Keen on Leicester City Winger
Liverpool are keen on Leicester City winger Demarai Gray, according to Laurie Whitwell of the Daily Mail. The Reds are said to be joined by Merseyside rivals Everton, as well as Tottenham Hotspur, in showing interest in a player considering his future with the Foxes.
According to Whitwell, Gray wants regular first-team football next season, and the 20-year-old's contract situation could encourage interested parties:
"Leicester are determined to keep hold of Gray, and the winger has three years left on his contract, but the situation is intriguing due to a rumoured £22 million release clause that was allegedly written into the deal taking him from Birmingham City in January 2016.
"The club has repeatedly denied such a buyout exists, but a number of sources have disclosed that is the fee required to trigger an accepted bid."
Gray would add pace and trickery to Liverpool's forward line. He has the attributes Klopp needs for his high-pressing and quick-countering style of play.
Along with Sadio Mane, Gray would offer the German manager a more direct threat beside Roberto Firmino, a frontman who loves to drop off into pockets of space between the midfield and forward lines.
Gray is the type of young potential star Liverpool need to target this summer while many of their rivals will likely be chasing expensive deals for more established names. Klopp could help develop Gray into a keen match-winner.
Keeping Coutinho and continuing to build around his intelligence and creativity with speedy attackers is the best way for Klopp to keep refining Liverpool into a team capable of mounting a sustained title challenge.
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