LONDON: Liverpool insisted on Friday that Philippe Coutinho would not be sold at any price amid reports Spanish giants Barcelona had increased their bid for the Brazil forward to 拢90 million ($117 million).
A statement issued by Fenway Sports Group (FSG), Liverpool鈥檚 US-based owners, said: 鈥淲e wish to offer clarity as regards our position on a possible transfer of Philippe Coutinho.
鈥淭he club鈥檚 definitive stance is that no offers for Philippe will be considered and he will remain a member of Liverpool Football Club when the summer (transfer) window closes.鈥�
FSG鈥檚 statement was an endorsement of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp鈥檚 previous comments that Coutinho was not going anywhere.
And the German boss, speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Liverpool鈥檚 2017/18 Premier League season opener away to Watford on Saturday, said: 鈥淚 think if somebody, in this case FSG, is saying something like this it is the statement.
鈥淚 think I have said it already a few times, but maybe that鈥檚 not 100 percent clear.鈥�
But Klopp was far more reserved when asked to comment on the nature of any talks he had held with Coutinho, adding: 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I ever told you anything about what I spoke to players (about). I turned 50 in the summer, so maybe I forget things like this. I have nothing to say about this.鈥�
Coutinho, who joined Liverpool from Inter Milan for 拢8.5 million in 2013, signed a new five-year contract with the northwest side in January that did not include a buy-out clause.
Barcelona, already one of world football鈥檚 biggest clubs, want Coutinho to replace Neymar following his compatriot鈥檚 world record 鈧�222 million ($262 million) transfer to Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month.
They had two previous bids rejected by the Premier League side but could yet come back with an offer in excess of 拢100 million.
Barca believe Coutinho can step in for Neymar alongside Lionel Messi and former Liverpool favorite Luis Suarez in a star-studded front three, and could also provide cover for 33-year-old Andres Iniesta in midfield.
Although five-time European champions, most recently in 2005, Liverpool are no longer one of the continent鈥檚 heavyweights and the last of their 18 English league titles came in 1990 鈥� before the start of the Premier League era.
Klopp, however, is determined to show he is serious about bringing back the glory days to Anfield by retaining Coutinho, Liverpool鈥檚 top scorer with 14 goals in all competitions last season when the Merseysiders finished fourth.
But Coutinho will be missing from the Watford match with a back problem that could also rule him out of the first leg of a Champions League qualifying play-off away to German club Hoffenheim on Tuesday.
Asked if Coutinho would play at Vicarage Road on Saturday, Klopp replied: 鈥淣o, he has back problems. He was not in training since last Friday. No he is not available, he is also a doubt for Tuesday, unfortunately.鈥�
Questioned on whether his job now was to keep Coutinho happy, Klopp added: 鈥淚 can鈥檛 keep players happy. That鈥檚 how life is.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not about this, Phil is not available for us, that鈥檚 the biggest issue that he鈥檚 not available to play.鈥�