Liverpool were able to fend Barcelona off in the summer but the Spanish giants are widely expected to go back in for Philippe Coutinho next year.
Indeed, the club’s chief executive, Oscar Grau, admitted this week that Barcelona are prepared to make another bid for Coutinho in the January transfer window.
Having already seen three bids for the Brazilian rejected, the last of which reached £116.7 million, Barcelona know that Liverpool will not allow Coutinho to leave willingly.
Partly because of the 25-year-old’s enormous talent. He’s scored three goals in his past three matches and is hugely important to Liverpool’s plans.
And also because the Reds probably know they can squeeze some more money out of Barcelona, who sold Neymar for £197m in the summer.
Grau believes the Blaugrana will record a stunning €897m in revenue this season. While that is bad news for Liverpool, it means they can request more for their star playmaker.
Coutinho showed why Barça want him vs Chile
Coutinho’s exceptional performance in Brazil’s 3-0 win over Chile this week will have done nothing to simmer Barcelona’s interest in the player.
Check out his highlights below.
Charlie Adam on Coutinho
That sort of talent doesn’t come around too often. It’s why Liverpool are so eager to keep hold of Coutinho.
But selling him for a fee in excess of £100m would allow Jurgen Klopp to improve his squad in other areas - namely in defence, where Liverpool’s biggest problems lie.
That is an idea that former Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam, who currently plays for Stoke City, can get behind.
Adam believes Coutinho will sign for Barcelona in January if Liverpool aren't in contention for the title.
“This is what happens when you’ve got one of the best players in the world,” Adam told talkSPORT.
“It’s going to just see how long the Liverpool owners stay strong - can they afford to not let him go in the January window?
“I think if they’re nowhere near winning the league, he will go.
“The money they’re talking about - £120million - that’s a rebuilding job!
“That will buy them the four defenders and a goalkeeper they probably need.”
Once again, Liverpool’s defence has been the cause of much misery this season.
The Reds have conceded 12 times in the Premier League, more than 18th-placed Swansea and 19th-placed Bournemouth.
Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho have both worked to improve their defences since 2016 and their teams sit first and second in the table.
Klopp should certainly follow their lead.