Aston Villa had a player who was forgotten by the fans, and it’s a staggering fall from grace considering his brilliant career.
“Fans were stunned to learn of the transfer fee Aston Villa are demanding for Philippe Coutinho,” the UK’s Sporting Bible reported on Sunday.
Coutinho was one of the players who took the English scene by storm when he joined Liverpool from Inter Milan in 2013. He exploded with potential in the English Premier League (EPL), especially under Jürgen Klopp’s tutelage. At the time, Coutinho was considered Liverpool’s best attacking combination alongside Mohamed Salah, Robert Firmino, and Sadio Mane, earning him the nickname ‘The New Wife’.
As Coutinho’s performances continued, other clubs wanted him. Barcelona reached out to Coutinho. Coutinho wanted to join Barcelona so badly that he asked his club for a transfer, and in January 2018, Barcelona made a whopping €160 million offer for the player.
However, Coutinho’s move to Barcelona was the start of a downward spiral, as he struggled to fit in at the club and his performances dropped significantly, and he was still disappointing on loan at Bayern Munich. Coutinho’s only hope was in the EPL, where he thrived. He scored five goals and provided three assists in 19 games on loan at Aston Villa, earning him a full transfer. At the time, Coutinho’s transfer fee was only €20 million.
After a full transfer to Aston Villa, he was back to his worst form. He made just 26 appearances in two seasons and was sent out on loan to Aldujail in September 2023. Aston Villa will have to sell Coutinho in the upcoming summer.
According to SportsBible, ‘manager Unai Emery is convinced that Coutinho has no future at Aston Villa. According to reports, Aston Villa have reportedly 토토사이트 set a price tag of up to £8 million to sell Coutinho.
Aston Villa’s £80 million asking price hints at his massive fall from grace, considering he previously joined Barcelona for €160 million. Coutinho is now reportedly keen to return to his native Brazil. However, even with a low transfer fee, Coutinho’s return to his homeland is unlikely to be easy. “Considering his salary, it is highly unlikely that he will leave,” explained SportsBible.
Fans reacted to the news on social media, saying “I didn’t realize Coutinho was still there” and “He shouldn’t have left Liverpool.”
Once the best player in the EPL, Coutinho is now a dead stock player who is unlikely to return to his hometown.