Barcelona chief refuses to rule out interest in Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho amid January £22m bid reports

Barcelona football director Robert Fernandez has refused to rule out a January move for Philipe Coutinho after admitting the Liverpool star is "a good player with very good conditions". The Brazilian international star has been heavily linked with a move to the Camp Nou since Neymar claimed he would be a perfect match for the Catalan giants' passing game style.

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard recently added to the speculation after writing in his autobiography that his former teammate is destined to move to the Champions League winner or Real Madrid – following the footsteps of other stars like Luis Suarez or Raheem Sterling who left Anfield in recent years to make the step forward in the fight for titles.

Spanish newspaper Sport earlier this week claimed that Coutinho has been earmarked by the Catalan club as the perfect man to fill the gap left by the summer departure of Pedro Rodriguez to Chelsea.

The Catalan publication claimed that the Brazilian international is also likely to move to a Champions League side while claiming the Reds would ask about £22m ($33.6m) to part ways with him – having signed him from Inter Milan in January 2013 for just £8.5m.

Fernandez told Cadena Ser: "Coutinho is a good player. Clubs have great information about every player. But when at one point Barcelona send a scout to see a player he is not alone as there are scouts from other clubs who have the same information. Of course, he's a good player, he has very good conditions but there are many more players..."

The Champions League winners have also been heavily linked with Celta Vigo sensation Nolito. Fernandez admits that whether it is Coutinho, Nolito or another unnamed target, the club are working to find a proper replacement for Pedro ahead of the January market.

"We are always working to improve the team and there is the possibility (to sign someone). We still have time to do it," he concluded.

Coutinho, however, earlier this week appeared to commit his long-term future to Anfield. "Winning a trophy is every footballer's top objective, the ultimate objective," he told the Daily Telegraph. "It is what will make you be recognised and be remembered as a great player. So that is what we are looking for. We are trying to achieve that, to reach that point, at Liverpool."