Barcelona launch final Philippe Coutinho attack set to meet with agents to force a January move for Liverpool talisman

Barcelona will begin their final attempts to lure Philippe Coutinho away from Liverpool next week as they eye a January swoop for the Anfield midfielder.

Coutinho's contract was only extended last season and due to run until 2022, but it seems the 25-year-old has his heart set on a move to La Liga.

Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo have reported that Barcelona will be meeting with the Brazilian's agents Kiavash Joorabchian and Giuliano Bertolucci next week. 

Ernesto Valverde's side seemed to have all-but secured the Brazilian's signature during the summer but the deal evaporated before Coutinho's eyes, with boss Jurgen Klopp claiming Liverpool are 'not a selling club'.

'There is no price limit to let him go or a price that we are ready to give in,' Klopp said in the summer.  

The 25-year-old has reemerged as a first-team regular for Klopp since his summer transfer saga, scoring twice in his first four Premier League appearances, as well as contributing a goal to the reds' 7-0 thrashing of Maribor in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Despite this, it seems Coutinho could be closing in on a move to the Nou Camp in the mid-season transfer window.  

According to Mundo, Coutinho is operating on a 'short-term solution' with boss Klopp, where he will compete for the Anfield side both domestically and in Europe until the January window, where he will be allowed to join Valverde's La Liga leaders. 

Coutinho was originally wanted as a replacement for Brazilian compatriot Neymar, who made his £198million world-record switch to Paris-Saint Germain in the summer, but the Spanish giants turned to Ousmane Dembele after being snubbed by Liverpool.

Since his arrival though, Dembele suffered a fatal hamstring injury and has been sidelined since mid-September and not set to return until the end of November, with competition from Coutinho looking imminent.