Aston Villa have announced the signing of midfielder Philippe Coutinho on loan from Barcelona until the end of the season, with an option to buy the Brazilian permanently.
Coutinho’s loan move sets up a reunion with Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard, his former teammate at Liverpool, the club he left to join Spanish giants Barcelona in 2018.
EDGE: Coutinho seals Aston Villa loan move, but what did Villains look like four years ago when he made £142m move to Barcelona?EDGE: Coutinho seals Aston Villa loan move, but what did Villains look like four years ago when he made £142m move to Barcelona?
In stark contrast at the time, Coutinho’s new club Aston Villa had been relegated to the Championship, and were desperately fighting for a return to England’s top-flight.
On 6th January 2018, Aston Villa suffered an embarrassing 3-1 home defeat to Peterborough United in the FA Cup third round.
Watch our video below to see Aston Villa’s starting eleven from that day, the day Philippe Coutinho secured a £142million move from Liverpool to Barcelona…