Liverpool transfer news: Barcelona great Ronaldinho sets Anfield alarm bells ringing with Philippe Coutinho interest

Barcelona ambassador Ronaldinho says the Catalan club are interested in the Liverpool midfielder, but would not confirm if they are planning to make a January offer

Philippe Coutinho is attracting interest from Barcelona (Getty)

Former Barcelona great Ronaldinho has set alarm bells ringing at Liverpool after revealing that the Spanish league champions are keeping a close eye on star midfielder Philippe Coutinho, although he stopped short of claiming that a bid is in the pipeline for his fellow Brazilian.

Coutinho is currently sidelined through injury and will miss Tuesday’s Premier League clash with Stoke City, though he could yet return for the New Year’s Eve fixture against Manchester City, having picked up an ankle injury in the 2-0 win over Sunderland at the end of November.

The 24-year-old has proven to be one of Jürgen Klopp’s most influential players this season as they contest for the Premier League title, but it appears his early season form has not gone unnoticed.

Ronaldinho, who now works as an ambassador to Barcelona, says that he hopes to see Coutinho back on the field sooner rather than later, and added that he’s gaining plenty of attention in Catalonia.

“I hope when he (Coutinho) returns from injury that he will continue the form he has been showing all season with Liverpool,” Ronaldinho said, as quoted by The Sun.

“He has been one of the stand out players in Europe this season – and I know there is a lot of admiration of him at Barcelona.

“Liverpool will want to keep him, they have built the team around him.

“But when you play at that level then there is always interest.”

The revelation will alarm Liverpool, with Klopp stressing in the past that he has no intention of letting Coutinho leave as he looks to build something special at Anfield. While Coutinho has starred for the Reds this season with six goals and two assists, it is his ability to bring the best out of forward Roberto Firmino that has proven the most striking, with the Brazil international scoring five goals and making three assists as opposed to none of either when Coutinho is absent.

However, Ronaldinho did not say whether Barcelona were looking to test Klopp’s resolve in the January window, and the likelihood is that the Spanish side will wait until the summer at the earliest before making an offer.