Representatives of Philippe Coutinho have moved quickly to apologise to Liverpool for Nike's transfer blunder this week.

Nike, in an online advertisement which went around the world, announced Coutinho's transfer to Barcelona by promoting his name on Blaugrana shirts. The promotion was online for several hours and Nike are still to comment on the gaffe.

However, Sport says Coutinho's camp have spoken to Reds officials to apologise for the mess - despite no-one connected to the player being responsible. Barca officials have also spoken to their Liverpool counterparts in the same vein. And again, like Coutinho, Barca insist they had nothing to do with the blunder.

Coutinho was missing for Liverpool's win at Burnley yesterday, which again set tongues wagging of an imminent move to Spain. However, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp insisted he was absent due to injury.