Philippe Coutinho should move to Barcelona, insists his Brazilian team-mate Paulinho

Paulinho says he has made contact with Coutinho over a possible transfer to La Liga

Philippe Coutinho has not ruled out moving to Barcelona (Getty)

Barcelona midfielder Paulinho has said that he has made contact with Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho over a potential summer transfer.

The Reds resisted all attempts from Barcelona to prise the Brazilian away from Anfield this summer with the club releasing an official statement to rebuff any further interest from Catalunya.

But the man himself has refused to rule out leaving and admitted at his interest in Barca's offer during the summer window.

Coutinho has been in fine form for Liverpool this season and scored a sensational goal in the recent 5-0 rout of Swansea, but this has only seen the transfer talk increase and Paulinho has now admitted that he has been playing an active part in the saga.

“I make jokes that people are already looking for a house for him,” Paulinho told mundodeportivo.com.

“I try to give him the basic information, the most important for him and his family, because maybe the time he lived here was not enough to know the city, but he knows that Barcelona is a very good city, that offers everything for him and his family.

“You have to think about the decision you are going to make. What I think is that if you have the opportunity to come, you will not regret it.”

Paulinho also spoke of his admiration for his compatriot and acknowledged that Coutinho would greatly improve Barcelona’s team.

“He has a way of playing that everyone observes, both in Liverpool and in Brazil,” he added.

“He is a very fast player, very agile. He gives many options for those who play in the centre of the field, pass options, also looks for free spaces to place the ball and go to goal.

“He can play in two or three positions and I think that will also help the coach and the players. Now I just have to encourage it to happen.”