It has been the transfer saga that appears to have featured on the back page everyday for months but today, the world will finally have a definitive answer on Philippe Coutinho's immediate future.

The Liverpool star has been courted by Barcelona ever since Neymar left the Spanish giants to join Paris Saint-Germain in a £197m deal.

The Blaugrana have been desperate to invest much of that fee in his countryman but so far, they have been rebuffed time and time again by Jurgen Klopp's outfit.

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Coutinho is desperate to seal his 'dream move', but Liverpool's owners FSG have stood firm on their stance not to offload the 25-year-old for any fee.

The deadline for Barca to get the deal done is drawing ever nearer, with the Spanish window closing a day later than the British one.

Barca are aware they have to make some additions if they are to keep pace with bitter rivals Real Madrid and due to the Coutinho debacle, they have began work on three backup options.

In a report by Spanish publication AS, the Blaugrana have chosen their three targets; Leicester's Riyad Mahrez, Valencia's Dani Parejo and PSG winger, Angel Di Maria.

Barca are working on another gigantic offer for Coutinho but given the circumstances, they have had to make other plans to cover their own backs.

Mahrez has apparently left international duty with Algeria in order to find a new club, while Di Maria has been regularly linked with a move away from Paris as Unai Emery's side look to balance the books.

Parejo is a new name linked with a switch to the Nou Camp and due to the fact that Barca have already signed a similar player to him in Paulinho, they may not exercise this option.

They are also still looking at highly-rated Real Sociedad defender Inigo Martinez and it seems almost certain that some significant news will come out of the Blaugrana today.

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