Aston Villa midfielder Philippe Coutinho is reportedly a target for Vasco de Gama this summer as his time with us could be coming to an end.
The 31-year-old was a high-profile and exciting signing, initially on loan, in January 2022, and he made an immediate impact in the second half of that campaign to earn a permanent switch a few months later.
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However, things went downhill for the Brazilian playmaker in the 2022/23 season and with injuries and a lack of form limiting his influence, he has managed six goals and three assists in 43 appearances for Villa.
Having been shipped out on loan this season to Al-Duhail, coupled with Villa’s success without him as we added Morgan Rogers to the squad in January and will welcome back Emiliano Buendia and Jacob Ramsey from long-term injury absences for the start of next season, it doesn’t appear likely that Coutinho will get another chance under Unai Emery to carve out a place in his squad.
In turn, according to TNT Sports Brazil, Vasco de Gama are interested in signing him on an initial loan move, but with an obligation to buy included in the agreement worth between £4m and £6m.
It would mean a return to his former club for the Brazilian international, and so it remains to be seen if a sentimental switch this summer takes priority over a potentially more lucrative offer elsewhere.
From a Villa perspective though, it does feel we have very much moved on without him now, and although it would be a delight to see him return to form as we try to compete on multiple fronts, including in the Champions League, it’s arguably too much of a gamble for Emery to rely on him to not just deliver positive performances on a consistent basis, but stay fit in the first place to be on the pitch week in and week out.
Time will tell if there is a fresh opportunity coming Coutinho’s way, but if this touted offer is on the table, coupled with the fact that his contract with us runs until 2026, it feels like an ideal chance to explore the possibility of getting him off the books and using that financial flexibility and space in the squad to bring in another Emery signing that hopefully fits the bill more effectively.