Steven Gerrard shares Aston Villa key for permanent Philippe Coutinho transfer
Steven Gerrard has outlined love and support as the key for Aston Villa ace Philippe Countinho amid his uncertain future at the club.
The Brazilian international joined the Villans on loan from Barcelona in January, joining up with his former Liverpool captain and now Villa Park boss.
Gerrard has been very outspoken in his interest in keeping the former Bayern Munich man beyond his loan deal and has yet again shared his thoughts ahead of the summer transfer window.
He told Birmingham Live: “The key thing for Phil is he needs to be in a place where he feels loved and supported, he needs to be smiling and enjoying his football.
“I think anyone that goes to work and they’re not enjoying themselves or in a positive place, it’s difficult to be at your best. He’s 29 years of age, he’s won all kinds of different things and he’s still got that hunger to play and contribute.”
Risky.
If Aston Villa are to bring Coutinho to Villa Park on a permanent basis, he really needs to start showing the form he did when he first came to the club.
He took the Premier League by storm when he first came to the Midlands but his form has taken a nosedive ever since.
It might be unfair to pin that all on him because the whole team are struggling with their form of late and despite his quality, he is a new player getting used to his manager, teammates and club.
With that being said, his performance levels won’t fill the Villa chiefs with confidence ahead of the summer window.
The maestro has flopped at all of the clubs he has been at since leaving Anfield but maybe being back in the Premier League long term will help him reignite that flame.
In other Villa news, Aston Villa should move on from Tyrone Mings to go to next level