Aston Villa can benefit from Xavi and Barcelona's Liverpool transfer plan

Barcelona manager Xavi is said to be ‘fixated’ on the idea of the Blaugrana proceeding into next season with Liverpool star Mohamed Salah at his disposal. The Reds forward, who has been in blistering form again this season, will soon be heading into the final 12 months of his contract at Anfield and he still hasn’t yet agreed fresh terms.

Salah, who has scored 28 goals for Liverpool in all competitions this season and more than 150 since joining the club from AS Roma in 2017, signed a five-year contract when he arrived and he has been a revelation since. The Reds have been eager to ensure that stays beyond the duration of his current deal, but they could reach a scenario in the summer where they’ll have to consider a sale if it means avoiding Salah for nothing in the summer of 2023.

It’s been reported that Barca are planning to take advantage of the situation, and are willing to offer £55m as well as handing Salah himself a hefty pay rise from what he is currently earning at Liverpool. Should such a move bear fruit, then it’s likely to have a domino effect on the future of Brazilian international Philippe Coutinho.

The attacker has been in fine form for Aston Villa since reuniting with Steven Gerrard and joining the club on a half-season loan deal in the January transfer window. In that time, Coutinho has already contributed four goals and three assists and is targeting a strong end to the season ahead of what could be a key summer in his career.

It’s unlikely that Coutinho, who was teammates with Salah at Liverpool, has much of a future at the Camp Nou, and Barca are happy to move him on if it means that they could raise some funds that they could put towards the purchase of a new forward - reports in Spain