New Barcelona signing Philippe Coutinho has an injury to his right thigh and is expected to be out for around three weeks, the La Liga club have said.
The 25-year-old Brazil playmaker joined the Spanish giants from Liverpool in a £142m deal, which was officially completed on Monday.
He took part in a brief photo session at the Nou Camp after Barcelona’s 3-0 win against Levante on Sunday.
Coutinho was unveiled to fans at the ground later on Monday.
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The Reds are expected to receive £105m up front – a British record – for the 25-year-old Brazil international, with the rest in realistic add-ons.
The final deal will be eclipsed only by the £200m Paris St-Germain paid Barcelona for Neymar last summer, and the £165.7m Kylian Mbappe will cost PSG at the end of his initial loan spell from Monaco.
Welcome to your new home, @Phil_Coutinho!
🔵🔴 #CoutinhoDay pic.twitter.com/fylm4JGdsW— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 8, 2018
📍 Camp Nou
⚽ @Phil_Coutinho
🔵🔴 #CoutinhoDay pic.twitter.com/CB30xUqHhQ— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 8, 2018
Coutinho stayed behind on Merseyside while final negotiations were concluded as his Liverpool team-mates flew to Dubai for a mid-season break.
Liverpool rejected three Barca bids and a transfer request from the player during the summer transfer window.
The last of Barcelona’s three bids was £118m – which included add-ons totalling in excess of £30m based on Coutinho winning the Ballon d’Or and other built-in clauses.
Coutinho only signed a new five-year deal, which did not include a release clause, with the Anfield club in January.
He has a minor thigh injury and missed the club’s past two games, including Friday’s FA Cup third-round win against Everton.
Coutinho will not be eligible to play for Barcelona in their Champions League last-16 tie against Juventus, having already played a key role in Liverpool’s qualification for the knockout phase.
Reacting to Coutinho’s move, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said, “It is with great reluctance that we – as a team and club – prepare to say farewell to a good friend, a wonderful person and a fantastic player in Philippe Coutinho.
“It is no secret that Philippe has wanted this move to happen since July, when Barcelona first made their interest known.
“Philippe was insistent with me, the owners and even his teammates this was a move he was desperate to make happen.
“Despite that, we managed to keep the player here beyond the summer window, hoping that we would be able to persuade him to stay and be part of what we are looking to do.
