Liverpool face a battle to keep influential midfielder, Philippe Coutinho, 23, at Anfield after Paris St. Germain launched a £23.6m bid to sign him last week.
The offer, rejected out of hand by the Anfield board, signals problems for the Reds as the French champions have the financial muscle to entice the Brazilian away from Merseyside.
Despite his young age, Coutinho has been a mainstay of the Liverpool midfield since joining from Inter Milan three years ago in an £8.5m deal. Since then, he has made nearly 150 appearances for the club and was a key figure as they reached last season’s Europa League final.
It’s that form which raised his profile across Europe and at home in the Premier League. Nominated for last season’s Footballer of the Year award, the Brazilian scored twelve goals in forty-three appearances for Liverpool and is seen by Jurgen Klopp as a pivotal figure in the German’s rebuilding plans.
Reports suggest that the player is open to a move to the French capital with the prospect of regular Champions League football appealing. The Parisian club spoke to his representatives and were encouraged by the response, leading to last week’s bid.
Funded by their Qatari owners, PSG are expected to return with an improved bid to test Liverpool’s resolve to hang on to the midfielder.
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