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Philippe Coutinho to quit Aston Villa after 'anti-climax', big-money transfer speculation swirls
We’re delighted to welcome Aston Villa podcaster Ty Bracey as our exclusive Aston Villa columnist each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the club…
Phillipe Coutinho’s Aston Villa tenure has been an “anti-climax” after the Brazillian failed to recapture the form of his early Villa Park career and looks set for a move to Saudi Arabia, according to Ty Bracey.
After joining the Villans on loan in January 2022, he has struggled to show his peak powers at Villa Park, with his efforts last season being rewarded with just one league goal.
Amid links with a move to Saudi Arabia [Romain Molina], Coutinho seems surplus for requirements under Unai Emery next season with his £125,000 weekly wage [Telegraph] proving poor business.
Bracey claims this Aston Villa era is over, and that it is time for the 31-year-old to seek a new challenge.
Speaking exclusvely to Villa News, Bracey said: “It’s been a bit of an anti-climax really. He had a great start and then things weren’t working out for Steven Gerrard. His goal contributions were seriously low. He didn’t look too bad under Emery even though he had limited minutes.
“But if he’s someone who’s not going to be in the plans every week we should just get him off the wage bill and replace him with someone who is going to play week in and week out.
“There’s no point paying someone £100,000 a week if he’s just going to get 20 minutes every other game.
“I think Saudi Arabia is the level he’ll play. He could go to a decent side in La Liga or the German league. I think he could get into a team in every decent league in the world. But that calibre of player, having played for Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Barcelona, does not come cheap.
“I think he’ll end up in Saudi Arabia with Gerrard.
“I think under Steven Gerrard it was a problem. I think there’s a player in Coutinho and I genuinely believe that Emery can get the best out of every player in his team. He spends a lot of time working with them as a team and as individuals.
“Emery sits down with them and tells them what they can do better, goes through analysis and week in and week out you see improvements in everybody. It’s just a shame he got injured and we couldn’t really see that.
“Nobody was really amazing under Gerrard, we were in relegation form. But it’ll be a shame to see him go as we were all very excited when he came. But it’s the end of an era.“
In other Aston Villa news, a Sky Sports journalist has claimed that Pau Torres’ siging to Villa Park may spell tactical changes under Emery next season.