Barcelona president in thinly-veiled dig at Liverpool over Philippe Coutinho transfer

Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu looks to have aimed a thinly-veiled dig at Liverpool for keeping Philippe Coutinho against his will in this summer’s transfer window.

The Catalan giants were reportedly desperate to sign the Brazil international after losing Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain, but failed to get a deal over the line before last week’s deadline.

Coutinho was also thought to be keen on the move to Barca, though Liverpool were claimed to have turned down as much as  £138million for their star midfielder.

Barcelona still seem bitter about the saga, with Bartomeu taking the opportunity to aim a dig at the Reds when discussing Lionel Messi’s future at the Nou Camp.

Despite the Argentine being a crucial performer for the club, Bartomeu insists Barcelona would never keep a player against his will, unlike other top sides.

‘Barca will never make a player stay if he tells us he wants to leave, as happens at other clubs in Europe,’ Bartomeu told Diario Sport.

‘We have a different way of being to other clubs.

‘It doesn’t matter if the clause is €500m, €600m, €1,000m or €1,500m, we can put any clause that we want because if a player wants to leave, we will have to sit down and speak about how we will do it.’

Liverpool are still widely expected to lose Coutinho to Barcelona next summer, with some reports that the Merseyside giants are prepared to let him go after the 2018 World Cup.

Elsewhere, it is also reported that Barcelona could try to revive the deal when the transfer window re-opens in January.

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