Categories: World Soccer

Barca promise to try again for Liverpool’s Coutinho

Barca were thwarted in their attempt to prise Coutinho away from Anfield during the summer with Liverpool placing a reported 200 million euros ($238 million) asking price on the midfielder.

Despite the player trying to engineer a move, Liverpool turned down his late transfer request during the close season window.

But Grau made clear the Spanish giants had not given up the chase.

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“We are ready to sign Coutinho, or any other player (during the winter transfer window),” he told a press conference.

“We have the money,” Grau said, confirming the club’s announcement in July of record income of 708 million euros ($812.8m) for 2016/2017 with an after-tax profit of 18m euros.

Grau added: “The most important thing is the demands from the management, and we will do everything possible to meet them. We want to have the most competitive team possible.”

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Barca experienced a tumultuous time during the summer transfer market, losing Coutinho’s compatriot Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain for a world record 222 million euros, and bringing in Ousmane Dembele from Borussia Dortmund for 105 million euros.

But Dembele has endured a nightmare start to life at the Camp Nou. The France international suffered a hamstring injury on his full La Liga debut ruling him out until January at the earliest.

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By Agence France Presse