Jamie Carragher believes Liverpool would spark ‘a riot’ in selling Philippe Coutinho.
Barcelona are set to renew their interest in the Brazilian playmaker after seeing a £72 million approach rejected by the Reds earlier this summer.
Liverpool remain unwilling to sell Coutinho at any price in what remains a frustrating transfer window with a number of key targets yet to be acquired.
Virgil van Dijk could finally seal a move to Anfield after the defender submitted a transfer request to Southampton but a pursuit of RB Leipzig’s Naby Keita has fallen flat.
Carragher anticipates that Liverpool will hold their nerve on Coutinho, 25, for a further 12 months even if the Catalans offer upward of £100m for the talisman.
“I think he will stay. I think Liverpool will have him for 12 months,” he told ‘The Debate’ on Sky Sports.
“He will want to go. Who wouldn’t want to go? It’s Barcelona. Coutinho will want to wear that shirt and there’s nothing wrong with that.
“But I don’t think there’s any way Liverpool will sell him. Not a chance of him going. I think the owners are in a position where they can’t afford to let him go.
“This window hasn’t been good for Liverpool. There would be a riot if he went – against the owners and against the club.
“It hasn’t gone how they wanted. They wanted Van Dijk and they wanted Keita.
“Liverpool don’t need money, they’ve got big money. Klopp hasn’t spent anything really since he came in terms of net spend. There’s a lot of money there for Liverpool to spend
“If Van Dijk becomes available then I think the owners will pay £50m or £60m for him. They would have paid £60m or £70m for Keita.
“They don’t need the money and I think they’ll get 12 more months out of Coutinho.”