Aston Villa complete £17m signing of Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona after impressive loan spell with the Brazilian playmaker penning a four-year contract
- Philippe Coutinho has completed a permanent switch to Aston Villa
- He arrived at Villa Park in January on loan for the second half of the season
- Barcelona confirmed the deal includes a 50 per cent sell-on clause
Philippe Coutinho has completed a permanent switch to Aston Villa from Barcelona in a deal the LaLiga giants announced was worth 20million euros (£17m).
Coutinho arrived at Villa Park in January on loan for the second half of the season after being deemed surplus to requirements at Barcelona, who confirmed the deal includes a 50 per cent sell-on clause.
The former Liverpool playmaker, who has scored four times and contributed three assists, has put pen to paper on a contract that runs until 2026.
Philippe Coutinho has completed a permanent switch to Aston Villa from Barcelona
Head Coach Steven Gerrard 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.’
Coutinho joined Barcelona from Liverpool in 2018 in a deal worth £146million but despite helping the Spanish club to two league titles, he spent the 2019-20 season on loan at Bayern Munich.
Coutinho arrived in January on loan after being deemed surplus to requirements at Barcelona
