Report: Barcelona forced to pay €100M premium on Liverpool players

Liverpool is refusing to start negotiations below the €100-million mark with Barcelona, deterring the club from signing any of their players in the near future, according to The Telegraph's Chris Bascombe.

Sporting director Michael Edwards reportedly included a clause in the deal that sent Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona that requires the Catalan giants to pay €100 million on top of the transfer fee for any Liverpool player they covet.

The clause is said to last until 2020.

For example, Barcelona would be expected to fork over €184 million for defender Virgil van Dijk, whose transfer value hovers around €84 million.

Liverpool withstood Barcelona's interest in Coutinho for as long as they could, even threatening to report Barcelona to FIFA for allegedly tapping up the player. They agreed to sell the Brazilian for a reported €160 million during the January transfer window, but not without a clause that ensured Liverpool wouldn't become Barcelona's feeder club.

Coutinho was the second Liverpool star to leave Merseyside for Barcelona, following in the footsteps of striker Luis Suarez, who secured a move in 2014. Coutinho was reportedly pushing for a transfer in summer 2016, citing a bad back while the window was open in an apparent attempt to force Liverpool's hand.

Ernesto Valverde's side has recently been linked with speedy winger Sadio Mane. However, news of Edwards' deal-making skills will surely put those rumors to bed.