Let's just say that Guillem Balague has a certain reputation.
Over the years football fans have grown more and more cynical about the reliability of Sky Sports' Spanish football insider.
For whatever reason, everything that Balague says is taken wit a healthy pinch of salt among supporters, particularly when it comes to transfer rumours involving players and teams from La Liga.
This week, Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho found himself the subject of conversation for Balague who, in his column, insists that all the talk linking the Brazilian with a move to Barcelona is nothing but nonsense.
"This has turned into a weekly question. His entourage is clearly working to move him to the Nou Camp. There are different reasons why Barca will not go for him," Balague wrote for
Sky Sports.
https://twitter.com/JOE_co_uk/status/846695402514649089
"One is the cost and the other is they think he's a forward rather than a midfielder. And of course they are completely sorted in attack.
"They are looking for a different type of midfielder. Nobody doubts Coutinho's quality but Barcelona don't have the money to be getting three or four top players for their first-choice line-up."
But sighs of relief around Anfield were few and far between following the update because, to put it frankly, Reds fans didn't trust Balague's sources.
https://twitter.com/Robbie_OR/status/864209625536753666
https://twitter.com/Cruyff_theman/status/864216908731731968
https://twitter.com/keswickbro/status/864230509299347456
https://twitter.com/7Spink11/status/864209535686365184
https://twitter.com/LFCCOL77/status/864209319058972672
https://twitter.com/cometoseeunited/status/864370024533827584
https://twitter.com/AhmedNur_LFC/status/864212430557253632
