Just when Liverpool fans thought the 5-year contract extension that midfield maestro Philippe Coutinho put pen to paper on back in January would provide a summer without worry and speculation... In storm PSG.
It must be said that it very much seems like there is no chance that Coutinho will leave Anfield this summer, as the player is clearly happy to be there, the manager loves him, and he's hugely popular with the fans, but PSG have reportedly decided to target him in a petty bid to get underneath Barcelona's skin.
The story stems from L'Equipe where it was suggested that the Parisians see Kylian Mbappe as their main target, with Coutinho an alternative. The report suggests that PSG have been told by Liverpool that they must pay €90m and allow the club to find a replacement.
This has, seemingly, been taken as an act of war.
The story has also been reported in Catalan publication Sport, where they claim that PSG are so angry that Barca have turned Marco Veratti's head that they are turning their attention to Coutinho purely because they know how close he is to Neymar.
Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho, the Brazilian playmaker, has become one of PSG’s transfer targets. Coutinho could therefore, lead to a new face-to-face between Barcelona and the Fench side, given the Catalans are also interested in the star. Now Marco Verratti’s transfer is virtually impossible, the sides will do battle over Coutinho, according to L’Equipe, who say that he is more than a Plan B for PSG.
Again, it shouldn't worry Liverpool fans this summer, as Coutinho will almost certainly start the season on Merseyside, but if PSG really are looking to get one over on Barca by starting a bidding war he may not see out as much of that five-year contract extension as they had hoped.
It is, of course, entirely possible that he can remain friends with Neymar while playing at Liverpool for the foreseeable future.
