Philippe Coutinho 'agrees' staggering Barcelona contract as Liverpool negotiate huge fee
Posted Thursday, December 21, 2017 by Express.co.uk
Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho has reportedly agreed a contract with Barcelona
PHILIPPE COUTINHO has agreed a contract at Barcelona ahead of his expected January transfer from Liverpool, according to reports in Spain.
Barcelona are desperate to sign Coutinho and have supposedly settled on a £135million transfer fee.
They were knocked back three times in the summer and would need to pay that figure off in instalments if Liverpool agree to it.
And while negotiations with Liverpool continue, the Nou Camp club have also got to work on Coutinho's wages.
That is according to Spanish newspaper Sport, who claim Barcelona officials and Coutinho's wages have been in discussions over the contract since the summer.
It is claimed Coutinho's representatives have secured the Brazil international a £10.6m-a-season contract that will last until 2023.
That boils down to around just over £200,000 a week.
Coutinho handed in a transfer request last summer in an effort to force his move to Barcelona but Liverpool refused to sell up.
Six months later and the Anfield club are said to have eased on their reluctance and may be willing to offload the 25-year-old at the right price.
Sport claim negotiations between the player's agents and club bosses ended on Tuesday with an agreement in place.
The representatives will now contact Liverpool's owners Fenway Sports Group in the hope of convincing them to sell.
It is claimed the transfer could be settled within days.
Barcelona are keen to get the deal done as they continue to seek a long-term replacement for Neymar, who completed a £200m hostile transfer to PSG in the summer.
Ousmane Dembele was a £136m arrival from Borussia Dortmund but the Frenchman has been out injured since the autumn.
Coutinho will not be eligible to play in the Champions League for Barcelona this season as he has already represented Liverpool in Europe.
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