Barcelona `close` to sign Philippe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembele

Johannesburg [South Africa], August 17 (ANI): Barcelona general manager Pep Segura has claimed that the club are "close" to signing Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele from Borussia Dortmund.

"We are close to Coutinho and Dembele, we are discussing their conditions but we do not know when they will be sealed," goal.com quoted Segura as saying after Barcelona's 0-2 defeat to Real Madrid in the second-leg of the Spanish Super Cup gave their arch rivals a 5-1 aggregate victory.

"We hope they will be Barcelona players this season," he added.

Barcelona have identified Coutinho and Dembele as their key targets to fill Neymar's world-record €222 million move to Paris Saint-Germain.

Liverpool have rejected two bids from Barcelona for 25-year-old Coutinho so far - the last of which totalled €100 million.

20-year-old Dembele is currently suspended by Dortmund on the back of the Bundesliga outfit rejecting a bid from Barcelona for his services. (ANI)