Could this be the start of the end?
Rumours of Philippe Coutinho leaving Liverpool for Barcelona just won’t go away. In a week that was dominated by the headline grabbing news of Neymar joining PSG (pending UEFA ratification), talk has been abound that the Camp Nou club have made Coutinho their number one target to replace his compatriot.
Indeed the Spanish press seem to think the transfer of the 25-year-old to Barca is well progressed. Both SPORT and Mundo Deportivo are reporting that the deal is only a ‘step away’, with the player having already agreed personal terms with the Catalan club. He won’t make his desire to leave public until he has to.
There was even talk that negotiations were at such an advanced stage that the player would be left out of Liverpool’s friendly game with Athletic Bilbao at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday. These rumours were dismissed as idle speculation on Friday as the player was expected to feature.
But on Saturday morning, it has been confirmed that Coutinho has not in fact travelled to Ireland with the rest of his Anfield teammates, being left out of Liverpool’s squad with an apparent ‘sore back’. The Brazilian didn’t board the plane to the Irish capital.
Certainly worried fans are in equal parts suspicious and cynical about the sudden back pain…
https://twitter.com/SarcyFringehead/status/893790064408395778
https://twitter.com/vickery135/status/893789163841101824
The Brazilian, who has been linked with a move to Barcelona, misses out with a "sore back".
— Chelsea (@ouggi) August 5, 2017
Coutinho doesn't travel with the @LFC squad due to a "sore back".. Hmm #couthino #Barca
— Josh Earl 🔰🇺🇦 (@josh_earl3) August 5, 2017
https://twitter.com/greg_kerins/status/893789664263450628
Coutinho missing the game tonight with a "sore back" 👀👀👀
— Matt (@mattywilson1991) August 5, 2017
Coutinho having a sore back. I doubt
— Seth (@EmceeSeth) August 5, 2017
Phillipe Coutinho has a sore back so won't travel.
Which really means, all the best at Barca mate 👍🏻
— Cartman (@CalumGallagher1) August 5, 2017
