Barcelona news: Philippe Coutinho told he has future at Camp Nou

What's the story?

Barcelona star Philippe Coutinho has been assured of his place in the club despite having struggled to earn his place in the starting eleven under boss Ernesto Valverde.

In case you didn't know...

The Brazil international moved away from Liverpool to join the La Liga giants in a staggering €160 million (£144m/$183m) transfer during the January window last year.

Since then, the play-maker has struggled to justify his price tag and has recently been finding himself on the bench rather than on the pitch during games.

The 26-year-old has gone further down the pecking order following a series of average performances for the club. The former Liverpool star has so far netted five goals and registered four assists in all competitions for the Catalan giants.

The heart of the matter

Despite the fewer starts, Barca director Guillermo Amor has assured the Brazilian that his place in the club is still very much important, especially as he has a lot to offer the team.

Speaking to Movistar, he said, “Coutinho's a player with a lot of experience, one of the best players in Europe and he is ready to play [for] five minutes or 90 minutes.”

“He's a player that thinks more about the team than himself and there are no doubts about him being one of the best players in the world. He's always played well for Barca, he could play [every game] from the off.”

“Barca signed him because he's one of the best in the world and he's going to give us a lot. He's got many years left on his contract and a lot to give to Barcelona.”

What's next?

Following their win over Getafe over the weekend, Barcelona has extended their lead in La Liga, with five points clear of their closest rivals Atletico Madrid.

The La Liga champions will next face Levante in a Copa del Rey clash on Thursday.