Aston Villa forward Philippe Coutinho has two more years on his contract but wouldn’t appear to have much of a future under Unai Emery.
This summer might see Philippe Coutinho terminate his less than successful stint at Aston Villa ahead of schedule, possibly making a return to his homeland of Brazil. After spending the season on loan with Al-Duhail in Qatar, Coutinho’s time with Villa, initially brought in on loan by former teammate and manager Steven Gerrard, could come to an end.
While Coutinho made a promising start at Villa, making significant impacts in matches against the likes of Manchester United, Southampton, and Leeds United, his influence waned as Gerrard’s tenure hit rough patches. Apart from a goal on the final day of the season against Manchester City, Coutinho’s contributions dwindled, with his only other goal being in a defeat to Arsenal the previous year.
Unai Emery was willing to let Coutinho depart in the summer, but only a loan move materialized for the former Liverpool playmaker, who once commanded a hefty fee of around £140 million from Barcelona. Joining Al-Duhail, Coutinho found regular playing time, but with two years remaining on his Villa contract, the club, accustomed to recent financial adjustments like with Morgan Sanson’s permanent move to Nice, might have to absorb a financial loss on his initial transfer fee.
Amidst this, reports suggest that ambitious Brazilian club Cruzeiro are keen on bringing Coutinho back to his roots. With a reported current valuation of just €7 million, Cruzeiro, looking to reclaim their spot at the pinnacle of Brazilian football, have made moves in the past, signing former Premier League player Matheus Pereira last year.
Turning 32 next month, Coutinho, along with another Villa outcast in Leander Dendoncker, is slated to return from his loan spell this summer, potentially marking a significant shift in his career trajectory.