The Brazilian international has signed a deal until 2023 with the LaLiga club
Saturday, January 6, 2018
Philippe Coutinho will make his long-anticipated move to Barcelona from Liverpool for a British record fee worth up to £142million after a deal was agreed between the clubs.
The 25-year-old playmaker was the subject of a £118million bid from the Catalan club in August, an approach Liverpool rejected, but the Brazil international is now heading to the Nou Camp.
A statement published on Liverpool's website read: "Liverpool can confirm Philippe Coutinho will be leaving the club after a transfer agreement was reached with Barcelona, subject to medical and agreement of personal terms.
"The player now has permission to complete the usual formalities to conclude the transfer immediately."
Barcelona said Coutinho would sign a five-and-a-half-year contract, having made him their number one target following his countryman Neymar's world-record £200.6million move to Paris St Germain.
It is understood the fee for Coutinho to consist of an initial 120 million euros (£106.5million), with a further 40 million euros (£35.5million) hinging on add-ons involved in the signing.
Barcelona said the buy-out fee in his new contract will be 400 million euros (£354.5million).
After being rebuffed by Liverpool in the summer, Barcelona instead bought French forward Ousmane Dembele from Borussia Dortmund for £93million.
That initially reassured Liverpool fans that Coutinho would not be pursued again, but Dembele has missed the last four months of action through injury and speculation about a renewed Catalonian bid for the Anfield favourite grew ever louder heading into the new year.
He had not played for Liverpool since the January transfer window opened because of a thigh problem and did not travel with the squad for their warm weather training camp in Dubai.
Coutinho instead headed to Spain to formalise his transfer on Saturday night and it is expected he will be presented by LaLiga leaders Barcelona on Sunday or Monday.
The Rio-born player arrived at Anfield from Inter Milan for £8.5million in January 2013 and scored 54 goals for the Reds across his appearances in all competitions, although he won no silverware during his five-year stay.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp stressed the club had done everything possible to persuade Coutinho to remain at Anfield, but revealed the player had been "desperate" to move to Barcelona since July.
"It is with great reluctance that we - as a team and club - prepare to say farewell to a good friend, a wonderful person and a fantastic player in Philippe Coutinho," Klopp said on Liverpool's website.
"It is no secret that Philippe has wanted this move to happen since July, when Barcelona first made their interest known.
"Philippe was insistent with me, the owners and even his team-mates this was a move he was desperate to make happen.
"Despite that, we managed to keep the player here beyond the summer window, hoping that we would be able to persuade him to stay and be part of what we are looking to do.
"I can tell the Liverpool supporters that we, as a club, have done everything within our means to convince Philippe that remaining part of Liverpool was as attractive as moving to Spain, but he is 100 per cent certain his future - and that of his family - belongs at Barcelona.
"It is his dream and I am now convinced there is nothing left at our disposal to change his mind.
"Philippe has made a fantastic contribution to this club over his five years of service and as disappointed as we are that he doesn't want to extend that, the relationship we have for him means, with a heavy heart, we wish him well."
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