Liverpool star Coutinho Barcelona transfer would cause 'chaos' across Europe – Rory Smith

LIVERPOOL losing Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona would spark “chaos” across the European transfer market, according to New York Times journalist Rory Smith.

Rory Smith: Selling Coutinho will make Europe unhappy

have so far rejected several offers from Spanish giants Barcelona, issuing a hands-off warning for their Brazilian attacker.

Coutinho, 25, handed in a transfer request at Anfield hoping to force a move away from Merseyside to link up with Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi at the Nou Camp.

Speaking on BBC Radio’s 5Live, Rory Smith warned if Liverpool were to let the Brazilian move to Barcelona it would cause “chaos” across Europe.

He added apart from Coutinho and Barcelona everyone will be a “loser” from the deal.

Liverpool news Philippe Coutinho transferGETTY•BBC

Liverpool news: A Philippe Coutinho transfer to Barcelona would cause chaos across Europe

If Liverpool sell Coutinho the only people in Europe who are happy in Europe are Coutinho and Barca

Rory Smith

Smith said: “Say Liverpool get £120million in for Coutinho now, say at a rough guess they might go for someone like Christian Pulisic at Dortmund – a player who Klopp adores.

“Let’s say Pulisic is worth £50m, with the Coutinho sale, Dortmund straight away will say £100m because they know Liverpool have got the money.”

The journalist warned the move would spark a succession of transfers across Europe with clubs inflating the price of their players because they know purchasing clubs in the chain have the funds because of previous sales.

Clubs will instantly “double their prices” as each club looks to replace the players lost during the high-profile transfers, Smith added.

Wenger is 'very happy' Arsenal doesn't have Coutinho situation

“There is a knock-on effect,” he said. “I was speaking to a player over the weekend, who said the problem if Liverpool – not a Liverpool player – sell Coutinho the only people in Europe who are happy in Europe are Coutinho and Barcelona.

“It causes chaos for everybody else in the middle of August and that’s the problem, there is a huge knock-on effect which means somewhere along the line means somebody loses – and that happens so often down the line that everyone but Coutinho loses.”

According to reports in Spain, Coutinho is ready to effectively go on strike in order to seal his dream move to Barcelona.

missed Liverpool’s 2-1 victory over German side Hoffenheim in the first leg of their Champions League play-off, on Tuesday.

The Brazilian was ruled out with an ongoing back problem after he handed in his transfer request via email on Friday.

Liverpool insist the 25-year-old is not for sale at any price, leaving Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo to report if they don’t let him leave.

Jurgen Klopp used his pre-match press conference to reiterate that Coutinho won’t be sold to Barcelona during the current transfer window.

The German said he will return to the team after he recovers from his back injury.

Klopp said: “If they will bid whatever, we don’t want it. It’s a clear message.

“We don’t want money, we want to invest in the team and have the best team because we have our aims and dreams.”

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