Philippe Coutinho is being eyed by Barcelona (Picture: Getty)

Barcelona are determined to seal the transfer of Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho this summer and Luis Suarez could play a key role in raiding his old club.

The Catalan giants have been repeatedly linked with Coutinho as they chase a long-term replacement for the ageing Andres Iniesta, who has looked slightly past his best this season.

Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil and even Isco from rivals Real Madrid have also emerged as candidates for that role, but latest reports claimed Coutinho had agreed a deal to move to the Nou Camp.

Suarez and Coutinho met in pre-season last year (Picture: Getty)
These two made a great combination at Liverpool (Picture: Getty)
Suarez could now help hurt his former club (Picture: Getty)

The Brazil international has had another fine season in the Premier League, though he has expressed his desire to remain at Anfield and only signed a contract extension earlier this year.

Still, links with Barca won’t go away and Suarez could do his bit to lure Coutinho away from the Reds due to the close friendship they forged during their time together on Merseyside, according to the Daily Mail.

The pair remain close and that could be worrying for Liverpool fans as they face Barcelona raiding them for their best player yet again.

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Suarez proved hard to replace when he left for La Liga three years ago, and it would be a major blow to Jurgen Klopp’s rebuilding plans at the club if he were to lose Coutinho just as he enters the peak years of his career.

Barca forward Neymar is also close with Coutinho, and together with Suarez would be trusted with the job of helping the 24-year-old settle at the club if he were to join.

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