Aston Villa to secure Philippe Coutinho exit ‘as soon as they can’ amid new transfer development
Philippe Coutinho will return to Aston Villa for pre-season but the NSWE will be looking to move him on “as soon as they can”, according to Alan Hutton.
The 31-year-old has spent the season on loan away from Villa Park with Qatarai side Al-Dhuail, but the Brazilian has struggled to have a real impact during his temporary spell and is unlikely to make the move permanent.
Reports suggest that the Brazilian international has jetted to Rio de Janeiro to secure a move to his boyhood club Vasco de Gama but no switch has been finalised and he will have to take a big pay cut to complete the transfer [Birmingham Live, 25 May].
Although it seems destined that Coutinho will finally bring an end to his disappointing career at Villa Park, Hutton admits that he still expects the former Liverpool man to return to Bodymoor Heath for pre-season this summer.
“I don’t see him staying moving forward,” told Villa News.
“Will he come back for pre-season? Of course, he will because I wouldn’t imagine that there would be a deal arranged this quickly but I would think that they’ll have to cut their losses whatever that may be.
“He’s on huge wages within the club and the way that FFP is at this moment in time, they’ll probably have to cut back in certain areas and that will probably be one of them.
“I’d imagine he will be back for pre-season but as soon as they can move him on, I think that’s what they will do.”
Will Philippe Coutinho leave Aston Villa and Villa Park in the summer transfer window?
It has been clear for some time now that Coutinho is not part of the long-term picture at Villa Park. Ever since Unai Emery arrived back in the Premier League, the former Barcelona winger has fallen down the pecking order.
Profit and sustainability regulations in the Premier League have ensured that the Villans must cut their cloth accordingly this summer.
While the likes of Jacob Ramsey and Diego Carlos have been linked with the exit, Emery and NSWE will view Coutinho as a much more expendable option as he has failed to show that he is worth the enormous wage he earns at Villa Park.
Hopefully, the move back to Brazil will be completed without any last-minute hitches so that the Villans can balance the books before adding to their squad. It would be an excellent deal to get over the line so early in the window.
In other Aston Villa news, a new Chelsea development may help Villa secure a summer transfer for Conor Gallagher
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