Liverpool have rejected a second, improved bid from Barcelona for star man Philippe Coutinho, according to reports.

The Reds are said to have dismissed a £90million offer from the Catalan giants, who have money to burn after selling Neymar to Paris St Germain for world-record figure last week.

Barca had already had a £72million offer for the Brazilian turned down, with Reds boss Jurgen Klopp going on record to say his prize asset is not for sale.

Coutinho joined Liverpool from Inter Milan for £8.5million in 2013 and signed a new five-year deal in January.

Despite struggling with an ankle injury last season, he still scored 14 goals and remains a key part of Klopp’s squad for the campaign ahead.

Rumours of a possible move to Barcelona were heightened last week when Coutinho was left out of the Reds’ squad for a pre-season trip to Bilbao.

But Klopp stressed the midfielder was merely suffering from a minor back injury which is also expected to rule him out of Saturday’s Premier League opener at Watford.

Klopp remained tight-lipped over Coutinho’s future earlier on Wednesday, saying only that his squad was “in a good shape” ahead of the new season.

Speaking as the club announced Western Union as their shirt sleeve sponsor, Klopp gave an upbeat summary of how he was feeling about preparations for the new campaign.

But he did not make any specific reference to Coutinho and exited the media event before it was opened up for questions.

Klopp said: “When we finished last season in fourth position everybody was really happy about it – it was really a good result for a big effort.

“We knew also there would be a qualification game, and now it is coming up. But the first challenge we have to face is playing Watford, even though everybody is thinking about the Champions League qualifiers.

“So Watford is the first target, and we have a few more days to prepare for this game.

“We are in a good shape. The players are in a good mood, the attitude in all the training sessions was really good – yes, there have been one or two little injuries and one bigger (Adam Lallana’s thigh problem), but that is how life is.

“We showed it in Dublin again that we are in a good shape. So everything is in a good way – but of course now we have to deliver, and we know that, so we are ready for it.

“The freshness is coming back. We are really excited.”

Liverpool have signed a five-year partnership with Western Union which sees the money transfer company become the club’s first shirt sleeve sponsor.

Western Union is also becoming an ”official principal partner and the official money transfer partner” of the club.

At Wednesday’s event, Liverpool’s commercial director Olly Dale was asked about the club possibly striking naming rights deals.

He suggested one for the training ground could happen ”at some stage in the future maybe”, while emphasising Liverpool are ”not an organisation that is in the marketplace for a stadium naming rights deal”.

Dale also said a naming rights deal for the Main Stand at Anfield was ”not an immediate priority”.

Source: Football365.com

Alan Shearer fears there is something brewing at Chelsea “which isn’t nice” as they attempt to retain their Premier League title.

Shearer, who won the league with Blackburn in 1995, believes Antonio Conte will have to make two or three more key signings if they are to repeat last season’s heroics.

The Match of the Day pundit told BBC Sport: “The top seven already are nailed on, I don’t see any surprise breaking into there. I think Everton will be sixth or seventh, and the rest we know.

“But there’s only one team that can win it and [Manchester] City brought [Pep] Guardiola to the club to win the Premier League and to win the Champions League, and he has to win something this year. Jose [Mourinho] will feel exactly the same at Manchester United.

“Chelsea, I do sense as if there’s something brewing there which isn’t nice. They need to get in another two or three players, I think, to have a chance of retaining that title.”

Shearer, whose £15million switch from Blackburn to Newcastle in 1996 set a new world record transfer fee, also admitted his astonishment at Neymar’s bank-breaking move from Barcelona to Paris St Germain and forecast a knock-on effect for other clubs.

He said: “You had the world record fee at £90m and for it to be broken at £196m, it just takes your breath away.

“What that now does is if [Kylian] Mbappe leaves [Monaco] and goes to another club, I would guess the fee might have been £90m or £100m. But it would now go up to £140m, £150m, that would be my guess.

“If [Philippe] Coutinho was to leave [Liverpool], then that ramps up another £15m, £20m, £30m, so it is just staggering and it does take your breath away.”

Shearer, who scored a top-flight hat-trick on his full Southampton debut as a 17-year-old, is also concerned that the inflated transfer market is further hampering young home-grown talent.

He said: “It is making it harder than ever because when managers are in trouble they turn to experience.

“We constantly see the Chelsea Youth Team and the Manchester City Youth Team win the FA Youth Cup, but we are not seeing that many players come through their system and getting into their first teams, which has to be a real concern.

“We have already had England struggling in cup competitions for years now. I am genuinely concerned for that.

“We have shown progress in that area, which shows the kids have ability. They are going up against the best in the world from the other countries and being successful, so why can’t they have the chance at the bigger clubs in the Premier League?

“Because managers feel as if they need to go out and spend and they are guaranteed £50m or £60m. But of course, they don’t always work out.

“But it has to be a concern for English football.”

Everyone wants a piece of Kylian Mbappe after the 18-year-old’s breakout season at AS Monaco.

Mbappe scored 26 goals in all competitions, firing Monaco to their first Ligue 1 title since 2000.

And it hasn’t taken long for Europe’s biggest names to start their enquiries.

Arsenal, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have all been linked with the France international and there’s no question that his performances last season will have caught the eye of clubs in every major league.

Monaco have already sold some players who played a key role in last season’s triumph, including Bernardo Silva, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Benjamin Mendy, and they’ve done extraordinarily well to keep hold of Mbappe until August. But if reports from Spain are to be believed, Monaco could be about to say farewell to the rising star.

Marca claim that Monaco have agreed to sell Mbappe to PSG in a deal that could reach €180 million.

‘Mbappe, new Paris Saint-Germain player,’ reads Marca’s headline, and they claim Monaco and PSG are currently exchanging documentation to complete the transfer.

“There is complete agreement with no turning back and all that is needed now is for the lawyers to give the nod and then the player will sign,” the report adds.

“He will become a new Paris Saint-Germain player. End of story.”

Yet, PSG themselves have denied the story, according to Goal, ruling out a move due to Financial Fair Play restrictions.

And Monaco have also denied that an agreement is in place to sell Mbappe to PSG, according to a report in Le Parisien.

They claim that PSG haven’t even submitted an offer for the teenager.

So it would appear that Marca’s story, which was also corroborated by Sport, is not to be believed.

It’s hardly surprising that PSG are in a position whereby there’s a financial risk to signing Mbappe after they spent €222m to sign Neymar from Barcelona.

Indeed, La Liga tried to block the Brazilian’s departure because they thought PSG would fall foul of FFP regulations.

Neymar’s signing attracted much controversy; spending €180m more just a few days later would surely see PSG run into some trouble with UEFA.

Source: Givemesport.com

In the last few weeks, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has made it apparent that he wants to make a fourth major signing before the transfer window closes.

The Portuguese boss has enjoyed a stellar summer so far, bringing in three star names that will certainly elevate his squad.

Victor Lindelof, Romelu Lukaku and Nemanja Matic have all arrived at Old Trafford, but there is one position that still looks slightly bare.

Mourinho is desperate for a new left winger, mainly because he clearly doesn’t have too much faith in Anthony Martial.

Ivan Perisic has been the most heavily linked with a switch, however, Inter Milan appear to have kept hold of the Croatian international and he looks set to sign a new contract with the Nerrazurri.

Gareth Bale has been another name touted as Mourinho’s marquee signing but it does seem unlikely that Zinedine Zidane will offload the Welshman, even if they do sign Kylian Mbappe or Paulo Dybala.

As such, United have decided to switch their attention to a Premier League star and it is one that may come as a surprise to some.

Tottenham left-back Danny Rose is the man in question, according to the Independent, and Mourinho is comtemplating signing the England international to move into a 3-5-2 formation.

The Spurs star is close to returning from injury after cementing himself as one of the finest full-backs in world football.

Ironically, Inter Milan – who held so firm with Perisic – are also keen on Rose, however, he is unlikely to make the move to a team without Champions League football.

United’s pursuit of Rose still hinges on whether they can sign a left winger but they would probably struggle to convince Spurs to sell after they let Kyle Walker join Manchester City.

Source: Givemesport.com