Aston Villa have decided to turn Philippe Coutinho’s loan deal into a permanent one this summer. The Brazilian returned to the Premier League after a difficult spell with Barcelona, which was plagued with injuries and poor form.
And since his return, he has been one of the key players under former Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard. Based on his performances, the Midlands club are willing to go all-in and make him a permanent member of the squad.
Philippe Coutinho could become permanent Aston Villa player soon
The attacking midfielder left Barcelona to join Villa on a six-month loan deal during the January window. Since his return, he has played in the Premier League 15 times, scoring 4 goals and providing 3 assists.
Barcelona had included a buy option worth around €40 million in Philippe Coutinho’s contract. But, the two clubs are in negotiations to drop that amount down to almost half. Considering the difficult financial situation that the Spanish club is in, they might just agree to let go of Coutinho at a cut price.
Personal terms between Villa and Coutinho have been agreed. The player is very happy under Steven Gerrard, and wants to continue being a part of the project. The transfer will only be complete once the payment terms have been agreed between the two clubs.
This season, Villa are headed for a mid-table finish, with four games left to play. With a full preseason behind them in the next season, they will be hopeful of challenging for European spots.
