According to the Mirror, a transfer clause that made transfers between Liverpool and Barcelona more difficult following Philippe Coutinho’s departure has now expired.
As part of the £142m deal that the Reds struck with the La Liga powerhouses back in January 2018, the Merseyside outfit insisted on an unusual clause that has protected their top players.
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Liverpool insisted on the inclusion of a clause that meant Barcelona would have to pay a £89m premium on any other Reds star they decided to sign before July 1 2020.
The Reds wrote this into the deal for Coutinho’s sale as they were sick of losing their best players to the Catalan giants, with Javier Mascherano and Luis Suarez both moving to Barcelona in the years prior.
Coutinho is now out of favour at Barcelona, with the Catalan outfit in a position where it appears as though they will have to move on the ace in order to fund signings this summer.
Whilst the literal meaning of this clause expiring suggests that Barcelona would find it easier to lure superstars from Liverpool once more, we’d be very surprised to see movement between the clubs.
Jurgen Klopp used the proceeds from Coutinho’s sale to fund key signings like Virgil van Dijk and Alisson, which have made the Reds a more dominant force than their Catalan counterparts.
The Mirror reiterate that as well as Barcelona no longer having a superior project to present to Liverpool players, the side’s current financial situation will likely limit any such moves.
As per Bloomberg, Barcelona have the highest wage bill in world sports – something that is by no means sustainable given the current financial losses teams are facing due to the Coronavirus pandemic.