Philippe Coutinho to Aston Villa transfer tipped as Steven Gerrard summer 'promise' claim made

Steven Gerrard’s biggest January transfer loan has been tipped to blow off any other suitors in order to stay with his former teammate.

Aston Villa had one of the most productive transfer seasons in January with Gerrard landing his former teammate Philipe Coutinho, Everton defender Lucas Digne and centre-back Callum Chambers.

Coutinho’s move was definitely the biggest shock of them all as the former Barcelona player went on loan to Villa Park and highlighted Aston Villa’s future intentions of one day becoming contenders for the Premier League trophy.

Sources have now suggested that the 29-year-old Brazilian will sign with Villa ‘in a heartbeat’ as Gerrad has been promised to receive full backing from the Villa owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens when the next transfer window opens in the summer.

Speaking to the website Football Insider, former Villa manager Alex McLeish has suggested that Villa will be the most likely option for Coutinho once his loan ends at the end of the 2021/22 season.

What has been said about Philippe Coutinho?

The former Liverpool and Barcelona attacking midfielder joined Villa Park in January with an option to purchase come the end of the six month loan.

Coutinho came on in the 70th minute on his debut for Gerrard’s side, scoring the equaliser in Villa’s 2-2 draw against Manchester United.

In four Villa appearances, the 29-year-old has gone on to score once again as well as contributing two assists.

Speaking to Football Insider’s Russel Edge, McLeish said: “Let’s face it, England has the richest league in the world in the Premier League.

“They can do it in a heartbeat. Other clubs would probably find it a little bit difficult to find those kinds of sums.

“Barcelona? He’s not going to go back there, is he? Could he do a Real Madrid or an Italian job, if you’ll pardon the pun?

“I think no. Listen, I think he’ll stay at Aston Villa. That is not a lot of money in the grand scheme of things when you think of transfers nowadays.”

This suggestion of Coutinho’s likely permanence at Villa Park will thrill fans who have also just been told that their manager is likely to receive all of the backing he would require in the summer.

What was said about the summer transfer window?

GIVEMESPORT has recently reported that Steven Gerrard has been promised to receive the Villa board’s full backing in the summer.

Journalist Dean Jones told GIVEMESPORT: “Gerrard’s been promised by the Aston Villa board that he’ll get their full backing, and I think again in the summer, they’ll be one of the clubs with the most ambitious transfer shopping list.”

Yves Bissouma had been one player that Villa had their eye on in the previous transfer window and Gerrard may attempt to try again come the summer.

The former Liverpool captain recently told The Telegraph: “It was well documented that we put in a bid for Bissouma at Brighton which was turned away, and we respected and appreciated that.”

The Mali international will only have 12 months left on his contract in the summer, so Brighton may do well to sell the midfielder before losing him for no fee in 2023.

Villa also had links to the Liverpool defender Joe Gomez. The 24-year-old has been lacking in play time of late, and if his time on the pitch does not increase, the England international may look to play for his team’s former captain.

What are the fans saying?

@villaparkavenue tweeted: “Villa fans have fond memories of Gomez ever since he played that game where Liverpool conceded 7 against us.”

@gypsybunn tweeted in reference to Gomez: “We’ve got enough sick notes in the squad already. Doesn’t matter how good a player is if they can’t even get on the pitch.”

At the possibility of signing Bissouma, @tom5konate tweeted: “Villa are actually going to overtake Spurs, Leicester and Arsenal to top 4”

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