BARCELONA:  Liverpool have agreed to a 拢142 million ($192 million) deal to sell Philippe Coutinho to Catalan giants Barcelona in the biggest-ever transfer involving a British club. The Brazilian was scheduled to fly out to the Nou Camp late on Saturday evening to finalize terms. The move was reported by the UK鈥檚 Daily Telegraph to include a significant immediate down-payment followed by 鈥渁chievable, guaranteed add-ons鈥�. The Reds had rejected three offers from the Spanish side, as well as a transfer request from Coutinho himself, last summer. The final offer was for 拢118 million. Liverpool recently spent a world-record fee for a defender when they signed Virgil van Dijk from Southampton for 拢75 million, who scored on his debut in the FA Cup Merseyside derby on Friday night.
Barcelona tried to sign Coutinho in the summer, but Liverpool rebuffed their 拢100 million bid.
His departure will be a blow to Liverpool as the playmaker has just returned to top form after an injury-hit start to the season. He scored six goals in the last seven games of 2017 to put his side firmly in the Champions League places.
Capturing Coutinho allows Barcelona to move on from the bitter experience of losing his Brazil teammate Neymar last summer to Paris Saint-Germain for a world record 鈧�222 million euros ($267 million).
French sports daily L鈥橢quipe reported on Saturday that Liverpool were lining up Leicester鈥檚 Riyad Mahrez to replace Coutinho, although Britain鈥檚 Press Association said the Anfield club had contacted Leicester to inform them that the reports were pure speculation.
Liverpool have also been strongly linked with Monaco forward Thomas Lemar, who Arsenal tried to sign before the season.
Coutinho played no role in Liverpool鈥檚 2-1 victory over city rivals Everton in the FA Cup on Friday.
Liverpool鈥檚 winning goal was scored by Virgil Van Dijk, the Dutch defender signed last week from Southampton for 拢75 million.