10 Aug 2017 07:41:40
Whilst £90m is a lot of cash, Couts will be worth to a lot more next year, especially if he has a good domestic season and World Cup and Barcelona know this.

Barcelona offer an ultimatum to Couts, it's now or never to unsettle him even more.

We keep him for one more season and we will be in a much better position to replace him or st least try to, if he still wants to go come next season.

Teams like PSG have the cash so we could be much better off if we stand our ground.

Whilst Suarez was trouble, I felt we sold him to cheaply imo.

{Ed002's Note - Barcelona has no interest in next year - their interest is in replacing Iniesta now - this summer.}

1.) 10 Aug 2017
10 Aug 2017 07:54:14
Ed002- is Veratti not available? Wasn't he their first choice? Cheers mate.

{Ed002's Note - PSG don't want to sell Verratti but as you know they have made one significant purchase this summer and they need monies coming in now - particularly with at least one more major purchase to come. Whilst Di Maria, Lucas Moura, Blaise Matuidi, Jese Rodriguez, Hatem Ben Arfa, Serge Aurier and Grzegorz Krychowiak can bring in a good amount of money, they need to sell between now and next June - and that may logistically prove difficult, particularly as they would like a lot of those moved on this summer. Hence, even though they want to keep Verratti and give him a new deal, they could ewnd up being backed in to a corner.}

2.) 10 Aug 2017
10 Aug 2017 08:10:48
So Ed002 are you saying that Barcelona will move on and buy their 3rd choice Iniesta replacement this summer instead of waiting for Veratti or Coutinho next season.?

{Ed002's Note - I don't know what their plan is right now but they had some other options thay had been considering, but they would certainly prefer Verratti or Pipco.}

3.) 10 Aug 2017
10 Aug 2017 08:16:00
Cheers for that Ed002. Is comical though if PSG have said he is "not for sale" and so have LFC ref Couts, but Barcelona insist on coming back in for Couts, albeit their second choice behind Veratti. Doesn't this just sum up how other teams see LFC as a selling club?

{Ed002's Note - It is not "comical" as such Tilly, it is simply business as usual.}

4.) 10 Aug 2017
10 Aug 2017 08:16:56
Ed002 correct me if im wrong (as usual) but PSG didn't pay a penny for Neymar. As far as i know neymar payed his own release clause from the money he got for the deal as an amabsator for the world cup. He got 300mil (probally Euros) and payed €222mil to Barcelona and got the rest as a siging bonuns.

That means PSG payed a total of €18mio this transfer window and don't need to let go of any of their key players. Veratti made it clear (as he said way before he knew about neymar) that he wants to stay which is why they stept up their interest in Couts.

{Ed002's Note - No, the money came from PSG and it was unrelated to the "release clause", but the same amount. I am not sure where this story comes from but it is incorrect. PSG are trying very hard to move players on right now and well aware by the end of next June they have to be accountable.}

5.) 10 Aug 2017
10 Aug 2017 11:04:58
Ed you mention quite a few high profile names at PSG there - are those names they actually be prepared to entertain bids for?

If we really can't keep Coutinho and get Keita, surely someone like Matuidi would be a good shout!

{Ed002's Note - Yes, they are all available. Matuidi would be an alternative to Jeita perhaps but it would not be both.}

6.) 10 Aug 2017
10 Aug 2017 14:26:36
Yes sorry, that's what I meant. as possible alternative to Keita.

Thanks for the response.