Andrea Pirlo insisted Barcelona recruit Philippe Coutinho is worth €160-million, highlighting Liverpool’s big-money purchase of defender Virgil van Dijk.

Star Brazilian playmaker Coutinho was presented as a Barcelona player on Sunday after swapping Liverpool’s Anfield for Camp Nou in a blockbuster transfer.

Much has been made of the fee paid for Coutinho – who joined Liverpool in 2013 – but former Italy, AC Milan and Juventus midfield maestro Pirlo said the price is justified after the Reds spent in the region of €80m (£75m) to prise the Dutchman from Southampton this month.

‘Other than the crazy prices, the price of Coutinho is in line with the prices of today,’ Pirlo told Sky Sport Italia.

‘If Van Dijk is worth €80m then he costs double. It’s only fair.”

Coutinho has agreed a five-and-a-half-year deal as he prepares to link up with star trio Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele in Barcelona.

The 25-year-old, who made 152 Premier League appearances and contributed 41 goals and 35 assists, did not play in Barca’s 3-0 victory over Levante on Sunday, as the club retained a nine-point lead in La Liga.

-This story originally appeared on FourFourTwo.co.za