(Football news) Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho has joined Aston Villa from FC Barcelona on a permanent deal for €20m (£17m). The 29 year old initially joined the Premier League club on a six month loan spell as the Catalan club looked to remove him from their wage bill and Coutinho has contributed four goals and three assists in his 16 Premier League appearances since his debut. 

Speaking about the signing, Aston Villa manager 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. As we look to build towards next season, it is incredible to work at a club that executes its business so decisively and smoothly." 

As part of the deal, Barcelona have inserted a 50% sell-on clause if Aston Villa decide to sell Coutinho in the future. A statement released by the Catalan club said “Barcelona would like to publicly state their thanks to Philippe Coutinho for his commitment and dedication, and wish him success and all the best for the future." The Brazilian joined Barcelona from Liverpool for a staggering transfer fee of £146m but had an underwhelming time in Spain, scoring 26 goals in 106 games for the club. He was then loaned to Bayern Munich for the 2019/20 campaign which was also a relatively unimpressive stint for the Brazilian.

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