Liverpool Transfer News: Philippe Coutinho Valuation Rumours Dismissed

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has dismissed suggestions the club have named their price for midfielder Philippe Coutinho amid continued links to Barcelona.

The Brazilian was tipped for a move to the Catalan giants throughout the summer and speculation has continued to linger ahead of the January window.

As relayed by Timothy Abraham of the Daily Mirror, some reports in Spain have said the Reds have set a valuation of £127 million on Coutinho, although when Klopp was asked about that prospect, he said that's not the case.

"Named a price? Interesting," he said. "Of course Phil is still essential for us. Should we stop thinking about him in the moment just because there are more stories about him in the newspapers in Spain? There is absolutely nothing else to say about this."

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Coutinho's future was one of the major storylines of the summer, as Barcelona were unable to lure him to the Camp Nou despite a number of offers and the player himself putting in a transfer request.

While his intention ahead of the campaign was that he wanted out, journalist Joel Rabinowitz believes the Reds should be making an effort to secure Coutinho's future for years to come:

The Brazil international did only agree a new deal earlier in the year, meaning Liverpool were under no pressure to cash in when Barcelona did come calling in the previous window.

Early in the season, we've already seen what Coutinho can offer his team. While Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah have done plenty of damage in the wide areas, the Brazilian buzzes in behind to great effect, linking play, finding incisive passes and offering a major threat in terms of shooting from distance.

Per Goal UK, the Brazilian has shown since arriving in the Premier League he has an eye for the spectacular:

The technical talents and the flair with which Coutinho plays makes him a sensible transfer target for Barcelona at this juncture. And while Liverpool are one of the most exciting attacking sides in Europe, the allure of the Catalan giants is understandable.

Not only would Coutinho be joining a side that have consistently challenged for the biggest prizes in recent years, he'd also be able to link up with the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta.

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Despite his obvious talent, sports journalist Rafael Hernandez doesn't believe Coutinho is the type of midfielder Barca should be looking at:

It doesn't appear as though Liverpool have any intention of moving their No. 10 on yet, and based on Klopp's quotes, no price has been set for the playmaker. With the Merseyside club still having much to play for in 2017-18, letting him depart in January would be a strange decision.

After all, while he did want the transfer in the summer, there have been no signs of sulking from Coutinho, as he continues to play a vital role in the Liverpool setup. If Barcelona do want him, you sense the end of the season will be their best opportunity to make a fresh move.