Official: Aston Villa confirm permanent capture of Philippe Coutinho

Aston Villa have completed the capture of Barcelona playmaker Philippe Coutinho permanently, with the 29-year-old penning a four-year contract.

As confirmed by the club’s official website, Aston Villa have completed the signing of Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona on a permanent transfer. The Brazilian international has signed a contract until the summer of 2026.

Coutinho joined Aston Villa on loan during the January transfer window after four years of endless struggle at Barcelona. Upon arrival, the 29-year-old made a deadly impact, quickly becoming a key player in Steven Gerrard’s setup. While his form has somewhat tailed off recently, the Brazilian did enough to convince the Villans to take him on permanently.

Aston Villa had an option to make Coutinho’s transfer permanent for a sum of €40 million. However, reports indicate that the Midlands club have negotiated a lower fee of around €20 million with Barcelona to secure the former Liverpool playmaker on a full-time basis.

Manager Gerrard, who played with Coutinho at Liverpool, spoke of the permanent signing and said: “This is a brilliant signing for Aston Villa. Phil is a model professional and his impact on the group has been very clear since he joined in January. 

“With the way he conducts himself on and off the pitch, he’s also a valuable role model for our younger players who can only benefit from his experience. As we look to build towards next season, it is incredible to work at a club that executes its business so decisively and smoothly.”

This move brings an end to Coutinho’s struggle-filled stint at Barcelona. The Brazilian had signed for the Blaugrana in a club-record deal worth over €150 million from Liverpool during the January transfer window of 2018. However, he never managed to get going at Camp Nou and soon became a much-criticised figure at the club.

A loan spell at Bayern Munich in 2019/20 failed to reignite his career as he struggled for regular game-time upon returning to Barcelona. Having joined Aston Villa in January, the 29-year-old has shown some signs of form, scoring four times and setting up three more in 16 appearances.

Having now joined on a permanent deal, Coutinho will look forward to leaving his Barcelona woes behind him and reinvigorating his career in England in the hope of making it to the Brazil squad for the FIFA World Cup 2022.