March 09, (THEWILL) – Steven Gerrard, the manager of Aston Villa, has hinted that he wants to sign Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona on a permanent move in the summer.
Coutinho joined Villa Park on a season-long loan in January, reconnecting with ex-Liverpool teammate Gerrard with the intention of reviving his career after falling out of favour at Camp Nou in recent seasons.
The influence of the Brazilian has already been felt, and he was in fine form at the weekend as Villa thrashed a Southampton side that had been on a roll until they met in that fixture.
In the long run, signing Coutinho on a permanent basis would be a huge help for Villa, who are looking to climb the Premier League table and return to Europe for the first time since their promotion in 2019.
Coutinho is a player Gerrard knows intimately from their time together at Anfield, and he has stated that he wants the club to provide a “change of scenery” for the player. Coutinho has also been described as a “game-changer” by Gerrard, and as one who is “giving belief to his teammates.”
“We want to be that for him because if we want to get to where we want to be, we need to build it around talents like Phil, because at his best he is a high-level player,” the Gerrard said.
“I don’t control transfer fees or wages. All I can do is give my opinion to Johan Lange (sporting director), Christian Purslow (chief executive) and the owners. They are watching the games and they will make the final decision. Phil has shown what he is capable of so far.”
Coutinho’s initial loan agreement with Villa contained a €40 million (£33 million) buyout clause. The management of Villa have been pleased with the player thus far, but will wait until the end of the season in May to make a definitive decision on his future with the club.
Barcelona wants to sell because they need money to reinvest in their own team, which is currently witnessing something of a revival since the return of Xavi Hernandez as manager to the point that club President Joan Laporta is confident in their future without former icon Lionel Messi.
Coutinho would become one of Villa’s most expensive players with a cost of £33 million, trailing just Emiliano Buendia on the all-time list.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
