Barcelona will go in 'big' for Liverpool star Coutinho if Neymar leaves for PSG - Vickery

Coutinho, 25, was the subject of a £72million bid from Barcelona, which was rejected by Liverpool. 

The Spanish giants are keen to sign the Brazil international as Ernesto Valverde looks to bolster his ranks with Neymar being linked with the exit door.  

Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly closing in on a world-record move for the former Santos man as they are prepared to pay his £199m release clause. 

And Vickery reckons Coutinho's possible move to Barcelona will weigh heavily on Neymar's future. 

But should he leave for PSG the Catalan club will make signing the former Inter Milan star their priority. 

“I think there’s a link here. I’ve seen speculation that Barcelona are after Coutinho as a possible long-term replacement for [Andres] Iniesta in their midfield – and I don’t really see it,” Vickery told talkSPORT. 

“I don’t see him in that position. And if you imagine [Luis] Suarez and a line of [Lionel] Messi and Neymar behind him, that to my mind would leave them very, very open.

“My take on this is that Coutinho is a hedge Barcelona are doing on the possibility of losing Neymar, that they see him as a straight substitute for Neymar if he goes to Paris Saint-Germain.

“Negotiations are certainly taking place, including [for] our old friend from White Hart Lane – Paulinho, who Barcelona are still in for.

“They are looking to reinforce their midfield positions. But from my mind, what will happen here is that if Neymar goes then Barcelona will go in big time for Coutinho.

“And then Liverpool are in that situation: do you want to keep an unhappy player? But if they keep Neymar, where is Coutinho going to fit into the team?

“Why would he want to swap maybe not fitting into the team for a place where everything is built around him at Liverpool?”

Coutinho only signed a new five-year contract at Liverpool last season, but his agents are reportedly in London trying to broker a deal with Barca representative Andre Cuty.