Barcelona players house-hunting for Coutinho, jokes Paulinho

Barcelona appear confident of capturing Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho in January, with midfielder Paulinho joking that the squad are already eyeing houses in the city for his Brazil team-mate.

Coutinho submitted a transfer request at Anfield in August amid reports of a £100million-plus move to Camp Nou, though the Reds held firm and kept hold of their star playmaker.

The 25-year-old has shown Barca what they missed out on, scoring 12 goals in 19 games, including a spectacular opener in Tuesday's 5-0 demolition of Swansea City.

Barca have been tipped to launch another bid for Coutinho when the transfer window reopens and Paulinho has echoed recent suggestions that the former Inter man would be a welcome addition to Ernesto Valverde's squad.

"The city already knows of his passage through Espanyol, I talk about the facilities, and the training, the group, the way the group received me that was spectacular," Paulinho told Mundo Deportivo.

"I make jokes that people are already looking for a house for him. I try to give him the basic information, the most important for him and his family, because maybe the time he lived here was not enough to know the city.

"But he knows that Barcelona is a very good city, that offers everything for him and his family."

Though Coutinho has shown no signs of a downturn in form after the transfer saga in August, January is set to be another testing month for Liverpool and the Brazilian.

Paulinho's switch to Camp Nou from the Chinese Super League was also a protracted one and he hopes his international team-mate will remain determined to make the move.

"I advise you to be calm, to leave anxiety aside. I also went through that moment when I was in China. Keep calm and get it right," Paulinho said.

"You have to think about the decision you are going to make. What I think is that if you have the opportunity to come, you will not regret it."