Liverpool have hit out at Barcelona’s claim that they got Philippe Coutinho for a reduced fee.
Shortly after Coutinho was unveiled as a Barcelona player on Monday, the club’s sporting director Jordi Mestre insisted that the deal was only possible due to the fact that the Reds had lowered their asking price for their talisman.
After rejecting three bids for the Brazilian last summer, Liverpool eventually accepted a £142 million fee, making him the second most expensive player of all time, but the La Liga club claim that they paid less than the initial asking price.
“The interest of the club has always been to sign Coutinho,” Mestre said.
🔊 @Phil_Coutinho: "My dream was to come here and these opportunities are unique and I had no doubts. Even though I can't play now in the Champions League, I will be able for the next 5 years" #CoutinhoDay pic.twitter.com/wV1c7BoEkY
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 8, 2018
“The difference with the summer is that there has been a big reduction in the price.
“By desire of Liverpool, we cannot give the figures, but there has been a very important reduction.
“If I said something, it would be to break the pact we have with Liverpool.
“It’s bad for me but we cannot give any figures.”
However, according to a report in the Telegraph, Liverpool have rubbished Barcelona’s claims by insisting that they never provided a price for Coutinho last summer because he was simply not for sale.
A firm statement was released by Liverpool in August in which they remained adamant that there was no fee which would prise the 25-year-old away from them.
“The club’s definitive stance is that no offers for Philippe will be considered and he will remain a member of Liverpool Football Club when the summer window closes,” the statement read.
The Reds’ stance on Mestre’s claim is that there is no way that they could have reduced their asking price if there was no asking price to begin with.
“From a financial standpoint there is no price limit to let him go. A price at which we are ready to give in,” Jurgen Klopp said four months ago.
“Our goal is to have the best possible team so we want to keep our guys and add new ones. That is our plan.
“Liverpool is not a club that has to sell players. That is set in stone. So what they pay in the end doesn’t matter.”
