Barcelona star Paulinho admitted that he held talks with Philippe Coutinho about a move away from Liverpool.
Barcelona were desperate to sign Coutinho over the summer but despite repeated attempts the La Liga giants failed to convince the Reds to sell their most prized asset.
The Brazilian had handed in an official transfer request but Liverpool turned down Barcelona’s three back-to-back bids for Coutinho and he ended up remaining at Anfield and has now displayed good form for the Premier League club.
Barcelona are still keen on roping in the Brazilian with Coutinho reportedly desperate to join Lionel Messi and Co. at the Nou Camp.
The Catalan giants are reportedly eyeing to launch an offer of £135m to tempt Liverpool to sell Coutinho in January.
And Paulinho, who plays alongside Coutinho for Brazil, admitted that he held talks with the 25-year-old about a move.
“The city already knows of its passage through Espanyol, I talk about the facilities, as are the training, the group, the way the group received me that was spectacular,” he told Mundo Deportivo.
“I make jokes that people are already looking for a house for him.
“I try to give him the basic information, the most important for him and his family, because maybe the time he lived here was not enough to know the city.
“But he knows that Barcelona is a very good city, that offers everything for him and his family.”
Paulinho also revealed that Luis Suarez could play an important role in luring away Coutinho to the Nou Camp.
Suarez has played alongside Coutinho at Liverpool and still shares a good bond with the Brazilian.
“Coutinho knows that there are great players, like Suarez, with whom he met at Liverpool and he gets along very well, he is a person who always tries to help,” he added.
“Now we have to wait until the transfer can be made in January to come here.”
Philipppe Coutinho has accepted contract terms with Barcelona ahead of his expected January switch from Liverpool, according to Spanish reports.
According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Barcelona bosses have been negotiating Coutinho’s wages with his agent since the summer.
The report says that both the parties have now agreed in principle over a £10.6m-a-season (around £200,000 a week) contract for Coutinho, which will keep the Brazilian at the Nou Camp until 2023.
The Brazilian’s representatives will now hold discussions with Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group and will hope to persuade them to sell.
