Philippe Coutinho is now 'worried' that he won't join Barcelona - Castles
PHILIPPE COUTINHO is 'worried' that he won't join Barcelona, according to journalist Duncan Castles.
Coutinho, 25, wants to leave Liverpol to join Barcelona in this transfer window.
Barca had three bids rejected for the playmaker over the sumer but they are now poised to move again now the transfer window has reopened.
But according to Castles, Coutinho is concerned the move won't go through.
"Philippe Coutinho's price is going down in value in this window," Castles told The Transfer Window podcast.
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"I think it was at its peak in the summer when Barcelona were willing to pay 150 million euros, they now don't want to pay more than 100 million..
"Honestly I don't see another club coming in for him at that kind of price. Maybe PSG, maybe, but he's not what they need.
"That's why Coutinho is worried his moment has passed."
Express Sport understand Coutinho hopes he has played his last game for Liverpool and Castles says a replacement has already been lined up.
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He said: "They have been in negotiations with Thomas Lemar to take him from Monaco if Coutinho goes, if the price is met by Barcelona.
"The money they get from Coutinho will mostly go towards buying Lemar from Monaco, should the Coutinho deal happen."
Asked if they only bought Virgil van Dijk because Coutinho was going, Castles added: "I think it's more they had the money in place. They didn't want to spend as much as this in the summer but they had £60million+ in place to sign a defender.
"Van Dijk didn't happen because of their own mistakes but it's now been transferred into the January window and it's being spent now."
