Aston Villa have completed the signing of Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona on a loan.
Gatekeepers News reports that Coutinho has joined Aston Villa to return to the Premier League on loan from Barcelona until the end of the season.
Villa in a statement on Friday said, “The agreement, which is subject to the player completing a medical and receiving a work permit, also includes an option to buy and Philippe will travel to Birmingham in the next 48 hours.”
This agreement will also see Coutinho reunited with his former Liverpool team-mate Steve Gerrard who is now the Head coach at Villa Park.
It is, therefore, not out of place to say Gerrard was the key factor in Coutinho’s decision to sign for Villa given their close relationship while at Anfield.
There is a massive confidence the attacking midfielder will hit the ground running to become one of the stars of the second half of the season at Villa Park.
Barcelona while confirming the loan transfer said “The agreement, subject to the player passing his medical and obtaining a work permit, includes an option to make the transfer permanent.
“The English club will pay part of the player’s wages and the midfielder is expected to travel to Birmingham in the next few hours. ”
Barcelona signed Coutinho for £145m in January 2018 from Liverpool. Coutinho spent five years at Anfield, with Brendan Rodgers signing him from Inter Milan in the winter transfer window in 2013.
