Ivan Rakitic says Barcelona’ s players would be delighted if Philippe Coutinho were to join them from Liverpool , insisting their “ doors are open to good players ” , Skysports reports .
Coutinho has been heavily linked with a move to the Nou Camp, though Liverpool resisted Barcelona’ s advances in the summer , turning down a £ 113 m bid for the Brazilian.
The midfielder ’ s future remains uncertain , and Liverpool have not given their price for the 25 -year -old , despite reports in the Catalan press .
In an interview with Skysports, Barcelona midfielder Rakitic said a player of Coutinho’ s calibre joining the club would be “ perfect ” .
“ Every good player is welcome. So we have to say that the doors are open for every good player , and Coutinho is a good player . With all respect to his club Liverpool , and his fans , we would be really happy if he came,” Rakitic said.
Spanish football expert Guillem Balague previews Saturday ’s Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Bernabeu.
“ But with all the respect if he stayed at Liverpool we would wish him all the luck in the world . We have to think about the players that are already here , I think we have a really good team.
“ We have to do it together . If there is an opportunity to do it with Coutinho , or another player , perfect. ”
Barcelona are 11 points ahead of Real Madrid going into Saturday’s Clasico .
Rakitic insists the game at the Bernabeu is not like a final , with Atletico Madrid and Valencia hot on their heels in the race for the Liga title .
“ We don’ t think of it like a final . Valencia are close to us, so are Atletico and Sevilla . It is very difficult to play in La Liga , it ’s not like four or five years ago with just two teams , you have to go at every game 100 per cent ,” Rakitic added .
“ You can ’t just say we ’ll get three points in all games and then wait for the Clasico , you have to prepare every game in the best way .
“ Of course we know that a lot of people in the world just wait for this game, and we want to finish the year in the best way , but if we get this win it is not done . There are a lot more big , hard games . It ’s step - by -step . ”
