Philippe Coutinho has signed a contract to turn his loan deal to Aston Villa into a permanent one. The Brazilian joined the Midlands club on a six-month loan deal from Barcelona, and has now become a member of the squad for the longer term.
The price tag for the transfer is around €20 million, which is half the amount that Barcelona initially wanted for the player. Due to their financial crisis, it was important that they got his wages off of their books. And now, they can show a €20 million sale in their financial records as well which would provide them with a boost.
Philippe Coutinho joins Aston Villa permanently
According to Fabrizio Romano, Steven Gerrard was key to the deal being completed. The two share a very good relationship from the time they played together at Liverpool.
The official announcement for the transfer will be made in the coming days.
With the permanent transfer now agreed, Philippe Coutinho’s nightmare with Barcelona is officially over. The attacking midfielder was signed for €135 million, and has been unable to live up to the expectations that were placed on him.
But, Coutinho has been able to show signs of his former self under Gerrard. He has scored four goals and provided three assists since returning to the Premier League. With a full pre-season behind him, along with the rest of the team, they will be hopeful of challenging for European spots next season.
