Philippe Coutinho should stay at Liverpool FC and help Jurgen Klopp’s side secure a top-four spot before moving to Barcelona in the summer, Danny Mills has suggested.

The Reds midfielder is being linked with a move to the Spanish side in the January transfer window as Barcelona look to finally land their summer transfer target.

Coutinho handed in a transfer request in the summer but Liverpool FC refused to sell the South American playmaker despite the La Liga giants making an offer well in excess of £100m.

Liverpool FC boss Klopp reintegrated Coutinho back into his starting line-up in September and the Brazilian has scored 12 goals and has made eight assists in 17 games in the Champions League and the Premier League.

Nike made a PR blunder over the weekend after Barcelona shirts with Coutinho’s name were made available online despite the former Inter Milan midfielder still being a Liverpool FC star.

Former Manchester City defender Mills believes Coutinho should earn Liverpool FC’s blessing before securing a move to Barcelona at the end of the season.

“I think he may well [stay at Liverpool FC this month],” Mills told Sky Sports News on Wednesday.

“There is always the argument – can they get a deal done now and will that keep him happy if he’s going to go in the summer?

“He can’t play in the Champions League, Barcelona have pretty much won the league already.

“If he goes there, yes he’s going to play a bit of football but why does he not stay at Liverpool, play well until the end of the season, have a deal agreed with Barcelona?

“He can do that deal now, stay and give Liverpool fans a send-off, work hard and get them into the top four. I think he would then leave with their blessing.”

Liverpool FC signed four players in the summer transfer window, including Mohamed Salah in a £39m deal from Serie A giants AS Roma.

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