Muscle problem could delay Coutinho's Barca debut

Aside from preparing a huge unveiling for their latest star, Barca officials are keen to discover the full extent of Philippe Coutinho's physical fitness before rubber-stamping his big-money move to the Camp Nou.

Whilst it had been assumed that his absence was down to transfer talks, reports in England claim that the Brazilian has not featured in Liverpool's most recent fixtures due to a muscle injury.

According to Spanish publication 'AS', Barca are expecting the 25-year-old to be unavailable for a further two weeks, meaning that those waiting to see the playmaker in action will be forced to wait a little longer.

However, Barca will discover more with regard to the injury when the player undergoes his medical on Monday.

Whilst Barca fans are salivating at the thought of seeing their new hero in action, the club are keen to avoid a repeat of the 'Dembele Affair', where the player's eagerness to pull on the 'Blaugrana' shirt lead to a significant absence through injury.

It had initially been thought that Coutinho could feature against Celta Vigo in the second leg of the Copa del Rey, but that now looks unlikely, though boss Ernesto Valverde is holding off any decision until he hears from the club's medical staff.