Philippe Coutinho is reportedly set to seal an exit from Aston Villa, as he’s said to be finalising a move to Al Duhail.
The 31-year-old joined Villa initially on loan from Barcelona in January 2022, and after an impressive run in the second half of that campaign, he earned a permanent switch last summer.
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However, injuries and struggles with his form have resulted in him making just 43 appearances for us in total, scoring six goals and providing three assists in those outings.
For a key player with an important role and significant salary, it’s fair to say that simply isn’t enough of a return despite the ongoing desire to see him thrive for us, with Villa also perhaps making a mistake in offering him a contract that runs until June 2026.
According to Fabrizio Romano though, Coutinho is now on the verge of leaving to join Al Duhail in a loan move, while importantly he adds that his salary will be covered by them.
It’s added that the Brazilian playmaker rejected offers from Europe, and so he looks set to be on the move to Qatar for a year at least, and a decision will no doubt be made on his long-term future next summer.
This follows on from a tweet from journalist Ben Jacobs, as seen below, in which Coutinho is said to already be in Qatar for his medical.
While it’s unfortunate that Villa haven’t been able to offload him for a significant fee given some of the transfers we’ve seen to the Middle East this past summer, that pivotal detail on his salary will still make an important difference from a financial perspective.
From a sporting aspect, it’s disappointing that the deal couldn’t have been completed prior to our transfer deadline, thus allowing Unai Emery and the hierarchy an opportunity to fill that void and replace him.
Nevertheless, given the apparent willingness to allow him to leave regardless, that perhaps tells us all we need to know in terms of Emery viewing Coutinho as dispensable, but it’s hoped that we have enough quality and depth at the Spaniard’s disposal this season to ensure we’re competitive and successful on multiple fronts.
Philippe Coutinho in Doha for his Al-Duhail medical.🇶🇦
🎥 via @bo7md6_ pic.twitter.com/Dc3INDqSu5
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) September 4, 2023