Aston Villa transfer news: Agreement reached for permanent Coutinho signing

Aston Villa have reportedly reached an agreement to sign Philippe Coutinho in a permanent deal from Barcelona.

The Brazilian international joined Villa on loan from the Catalan giants in January, with an option to buy included in that agreement.

READ MORE: Five key talking points as Villa come up short in defeat to Liverpool

Coutinho, 29, has since gone on to score four goals and provide three assists in 16 Premier League appearances for Villa this season, and it appears as though he’s done enough to convince the club to sign him on a permanent basis.

As per Fabrizio Romano, an agreement has been reached between the two clubs and a deal has been completed, and so all that now remains is an announcement to make it official. He adds that Steven Gerrard was key in the playmaker deciding to extend his stay at Villa, and so the pair will hope to now enjoy more successful times together.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the deal is expected to be worth around €20m, which is half the initial fee that was agreed between the two sides in January.

While Coutinho hasn’t been in top form in recent weeks as he has struggled to make a decisive impact, there is little doubt over the quality he can provide for us, and combined with his experience and pedigree at the highest level, he will be a vital part of the squad moving forward.

With Gerrard keen to build a squad capable of challenging for European places and beyond in the coming years, Coutinho will be a key part of his plans to make that a reality and it’s hoped that he can get the best out of him on a consistent basis, should a deal now go through as heavily touted.

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