Barcelona's Brazilian superstar Neymar has urged the club to sign Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho. The pair play together for Brazil and when asked which international team-mate he would like to play alongside at club level Neymar said: 'Coutinho is a crack (top player) and I would like to play alongside him for Barcelona. He has the level to play for Barca'.
The 23-year-old forward's endorsement of the Liverpool midfielder will reverberate through both clubs. Barcelona will almost certainly sign a midfielder at the end of this season with Paul Pogba already identified as a target.
Although Barcelona directors met with their Juventus counterparts this summer to make it clear to them they would pursue his signing at the end of the 2015-16 season, there is no pre-agreement in place and Coutinho would be a cheaper alternative. Neymar played alongside Coutinho in Brazil at youth level and he is not the only Barcelona star who is a fan.
Coutinho's former Liverpool team-mate Luis Suarez is also a big admirer of the Brazilian.
Liverpool have lost their best players in the last two summers with Suarez leaving for Barcelona in a £75m deal in 2014 and Raheem Sterling moving to Manchester City this summer for £49m.
Speaking at a Gillette event Neymar also said he was growing up after his sending off and subsequent suspension at this summer's Copa America.
He said: I don't like not being able to play and not being able to help my team. I made a mistake and I have learned from it.'
Asked about his role in Barcelona's attempts this season to retain the Spanish League, Cup and European Cup Neymar said: 'I want to be even better this season but I want to help the team. The group comes first and individuals second.'
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