Philippe Coutinho will soon definitively exchange Barcelona for Aston Villa, report Mundo Deportivo and Fabrizio Romano. The Brazilian has been leased from the Catalans since the beginning of January, with an option to buy forty million euros. However, the upcoming deal will be considerably lower, so that Barcelona’s loss of millions can rise from 70.4 percent to at most 89.9 percent (!).
Mundo Deportivo knows from sources in the Barcelona dressing room that a final move from Coutinho is imminent. Steven Gerrard personally directed the arrival of the attacking midfielder at Aston Villa’s club management. “We want Coutinho here,” said the . trainer the Villans last weekend openly after the game with Burnley (1-3). The 67-time Brazil international scored on his debut for Aston Villa and produced a total of four goals and three assists in the 15 Premier League appearances he has appeared in.
Romano added that talks between Barcelona and Aston Villa are already underway. It is reported that around 40 million euros in salary costs can be saved in Catalonia on Coutinho, who still has a contract until mid-2023. In that regard, Barcelona would be happy to agree to a transfer fee between 15 and 20 million euros: in the worst case is a loss of no less than 89.9 percent on the purchase price of 135 million.
Coutinho has been under contract with Barcelona since January 2018, who took him over from Liverpool at the time. The 29-year-old midfielder never really lived up to his price tag and was mainly an actor on the second plan under Ronald Koeman for a season and a half. Last January, Aston Villa put Coutinho out of his misery at Barcelona, who were eager to get rid of his astronomical salary. The English agreed with the current number two of LaLiga that they would take over 65 percent of the costs, which are said to amount to around 16 million euros on an annual basis.
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