Barcelona president refuses to rule out transfer bid for Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho

Josep Bartomeu confirmed that there will be new arrivals in midfield at the Nou Camp this summer

Philippe Coutinho has been persistently linked with a move to Barcelona (Getty)

Josep Bartomeu, the Barcelona president, has addressed speculation linking the club with Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho.

Coutinho committed his long-term future to Liverpool earlier this year by signing a new five-year contract, but the proposed transfer of his compatriot Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain has revived talk of the Brazilian swapping Anfield for the Nou Camp.

As The Independent revealed on Friday, Coutinho’s camp feel there is a “70 per cent” chance of the move going ahead, and Bartomeu has now refused to rule out bidding for the 25-year-old.

“He's a Liverpool player and I have a lot of respect for Liverpool,” he told ESPN. “What we do in the summer is to be very discreet about everything, so we cannot confirm or deny anything.

Bartomeu went on to add that there will be more new arrivals at Barcelona this summer, confirming: “More payers will come, one in midfield, definitely.”

Last week, Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp spoke confidently about Coutinho staying at Anfield this summer and insisted that the Brazilian “loves the club and feels comfortable”.

“Everyone knows that Phil Coutinho is a key player for us. I know that he feels completely more than fine, comfortable, whatever, in Liverpool," Klopp said after his side’s pre-season victory over Leicester City.

“He loves the club and the city - that's clear. That he's able to play like that tonight in a very difficult moment of the pre-season after all these sessions is good to see. That shows his big potential.”