Philippe Coutinho is reportedly set to see his Liverpool FC wages rocket.
According to The Mirror, Coutinho is close to signing a new five-and-a-half-year contract worth around £200,000 per week – which would see him earn somewhere in the region of £57m for the duration of the deal.
The Mirror claim that Liverpool hope Coutinho will put pen to paper swiftly after Wednesday night’s EFL Cup semi-final against Southampton is complete.
Coutinho was Barcelona’s top summer transfer target, per The Mirror, but this contract will not contain a release clause, dashing the La Liga side’s dream of signing the 24-year-old Brazilian.
Wages of £200,000 would make Coutinho Liverpool’s highest-earning current player, but he will still take home less than manager Jurgen Klopp.
Figures published by the Daily Star on Tuesday showed that Klopp tops the Anfield pay table with his £221,000-a-week wages, while six players – Sadio Mane (£125,000), James Milner (£120,000), Daniel Sturridge (£120,000), Joel Matip (£112,000), Roberto Firmino (£100,000) and captain Jordan Henderson (£100,000) – are earning six-figure sums every seven days.
The Star say Coutinho’s soon-to-be-replaced deal is worth £75,000 a week, which would mean he is set for a 166.66% jump in pay, assuming his new contract takes him to £200,000.