It is a homecoming in a championship that he had splashed with his class a few years ago. Three and a half years after leaving Liverpool FC, attacking midfielder Philippe Coutinho returns to the Premier League at Aston Villa.
Forced to save money to offer his coach Xavi the recruits he claims in addition to winger Ferran Torres, FC Barcelona has indeed formalized this Friday the loan of the 29-year-old Brazilian, ceded until the end of the season at Aston Villa, which will have a purchase option.
Coutinho is expected in England within 48 hours to undergo his medical examination and his signature will be effective once he receives his work permit. It is a big saving for Barça which will leave the Birmingham club to bear the burden of the impressive salary of the Auriverde player estimated at 16 million euros gross annually.
This could allow the Blaugrana to recruit Juventus Turin striker Alvaro Morata, currently retained by his coach Massimiliano Allegri or Anthony Martial, in difficulty at Manchester United.
After three and a half years (including one on loan from Bayern Munich) complicated at FC Barcelona where he never managed to find his place on the field or to convince his successive coaches, Coutinho will try to relaunch his career in the Premier League at one year of the World Cup in Qatar. The Brazilian international (68 caps 18 goals) therefore arrives at the ambitious Aston Villa (13th in the standings) recently trained by his former teammate Steven Gerrard. The two players had played at Liverpool FC between 2013 and 2015.