Liverpool have told Philippe Coutinho's camp that the playmaker will not be sold during the January transfer window, according to Le10 Sport.

What's the word?

Coutinho was heavily linked with a move to Barcelona in the summer, but despite the Catalan giants' persistence, the Brazilian was not sold.

It has been widely reported that the former Inter Milan star wanted to move to the Camp Nou, but in the end respected Liverpool's stance.

Even though Barcelona were knocked back in the summer, the Spanish outfit are believed to be keen to launch a fresh bid when the transfer window reopens in January.

Le10 Sport claims that Barca are wary of Paris Saint-Germain's interest in Coutinho and hope to sneak in with a deal before any competitors steal their main target.

The report adds that Liverpool have told the player's representatives that a sale is 'out of the question'.

How long can they keep this up?

The Reds are in the driving seat given that Coutinho's contract, which he signed in January, does not include a release clause.

However, more often that not, players tend to get their way and it is understandable due to concerns that an unhappy member of the team could affect the dressing room.

If these latest reports are true, Liverpool are right to refuse a sale in January because losing a player of Coutinho's calibre midway through the season could hugely affect how the rest of the campaign pans out.

Having said that, in the summer the Merseyside outfit may have to re-think their approach if the Brazilian makes it clear that he wants to join Barcelona.

If that becomes the case, the best thing for Liverpool to do is get a deal done as early as possible and then focus on bringing in a replacement.

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