Philippe Coutinho is reportedly poised to end his horrific Barcelona stint by moving to the Premier League by joining Aston Villa in a €20 million deal.
According to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Philippe Coutinho’s forgettable spell with Barcelona will officially end in the summer transfer window. The Brazilian playmaker will permanently join Aston Villa in a deal worth around €20 million.
Philippe Coutinho completed a lifelong dream when he joined Barcelona from Liverpool in January 2018. The 29-year-old was an instant hit at Camp Nou but endured endless struggles after a solid start to life in Barcelona. And while he was decent enough during a loan spell with Bayern Munich, things went from bad to worse in the subsequent 18 months.
Coutinho returned to the Premier League by joining Aston Villa on loan in January, and he has been a superb addition to Steven Gerrard’s squad. The Brazilian playmaker has four goals and three assists in 16 appearances for the Villans. And recent reports have stated that he could join Aston Villa permanently in the summer.
Aston Villa and Barcelona have been in talks over a permanent deal for Coutinho, whose presence in the squad should help the Midlands outfit progress up the Premier League table next week. After all, Steven Gerrard is seemingly building the side around the Barcelona playmaker, even changing the system to get the best out of his strikers and Coutinho.
Aston Villa are really confident to sign Philippe Coutinho from Barça on a permanent deal. It’s confirmed on Barcelona side too, per @ffpolo: talks progressing. ?? #AVFC
More: Aston Villa are set to reach full agreement with Coutinho on his salary/deal. It’s up to the clubs now. pic.twitter.com/rMSssu2YDq
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 9, 2022
Gerrard recently admitted that he is keen on having Coutinho at his disposal heading into the 2022/23 season. And according to Mundo Deportivo, the Villans have made progress in discussions with Barcelona, with the two parties on the verge of agreeing to the final transfer fee.
Aston Villa will sign Coutinho in a deal worth around €20 million, meaning they have successfully done away with the €40 million purchase clause to land the Brazilian playmaker in the summer transfer window. The agreement will come as a blow for Newcastle United, who also showed an interest in Coutinho.
As for Barcelona, recouping €20 million from Coutinho’s sale will help them balance their books while funding summer transfers. It will be interesting to see if Coutinho can kick on now that he looks set to return to the Premier League permanently by joining Aston Villa.
