Ernesto Valverde coy on Philippe Coutinho links as Barcelona boss plans wholesale changes at Murcia

Ernesto Valverde has claimed that he is more worried about the possibility of promoting some prospects from Barcelona B to the first-team than in the potential arrival of Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho or any other player during the upcoming January transfer window.

Earlier this month Barcelona CEO Oscar Grau said that the La Liga leaders are financially "ready" to sign the Brazilian international in the coming market after the Catalans failed to convince Liverpool to part ways with his services during the summer.

Mundo Deportivo has claimed that the Catalans are confident that the Jurgen Klopp's side will soften their stance in winter as they plan to offer the same €80m (£71.3m, $93.9m) plus €30m in add-ons package, which the Merseysiders rejected in the summer.

However, Valverde refused to be drawn in the pursuit of the Liverpool ace in a press conference held ahead of Barcelona's trip to Murcia for the first-leg of the Copa del Rey last-32 on Tuesday night (24 October).

"If there is any addition or an interest in any player ahead of the winter window I would like it not to be broadcast live for all media. I mean Coutinho or whoever. I'm more worried about [Jose] Arnaiz, [Carles] Aleña, Oriol Busquets and these [players from the academy] than those on other teams," Valverde said.

The Barcelona boss is indeed expected to give some players from the academy a chance to prove themselves at Murcia after having decided to rest a slew of stars including Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, Marc Andre ter Stegen, Samuel Umtiti and Paulinho.

"We have to be careful with the regulations because we need to to use seven players from the first team but there are players [from the second team] who can help us. We will do many rotations and we hope to win and win well," the Barcelona boss confirmed. "It is one of the most complicated games we have faced this year. We will need to be fully switched on to beat them and they will be treating it as their game of the year."

Meanwhile, Valverde confirmed that Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal will also miss the Copa del Rey due to respective ankle injuries.

The Turkish international is yet to play a single game this season after having been hit by an assortment of mysterious fitness problems since the beginning of the campaign.

Vidal, meanwhile, has not played a single minute since the 3-0 victory over Las Palmas with Valverde opting instead to use both Nelson Semedo and Sergi Roberto to cover the right-back.

"Both are ruled out [to face Murcia]," Valverde confirmed after the two players missed the Sunday's training session. "Arda suffered a recurrence of his ankle injury on Saturday and Aleix has some discomfort in the ankle."

Vidal already missed much of last season after being force to undergo an operation in that ankle but Valverde allayed fears over a fresh major blow.

"He had a serious injury and made a great recovery. Now he has some discomfort but it will be solvable."