Aston Villa flop Philippe Coutinho is aiming to depart Villa Park this summer with the midfielder prepared to make sacrifices to join his desired destination.
Since joining Villa in 2022, little has gone right for Coutinho. Initially joining on loan under former teammate Steven Gerrard, the Brazilian left a good impression on the Villa Park faithful.
However, after joining on a permanent deal for £17 million, Coutinho hasn’t been able to replicate such performances.
In the 2022/23 campaign, the midfielder only managed one goal in 22 games and has since been sent out on loan to Qatari side Al-Duhail for the rest of the current season.
With Villa coping well without the former Brazilian international, his future is in doubt upon his return.
As a result, one club has made informal contact to bring Coutinho to their club this summer.
Read more: How Coutinho and 11 other Aston Villa players did out on loan in the 2023/24 campaign.
Philippe Coutinho is prepared to make ‘sacrifices’ for Vasco move
Coming through as a youngster in Brazil, Coutinho’s first-ever club was Vasco. The midfielder came through the Brazilian club’s academy before he was poached in 2008 by Italian side Inter Milan.
While Coutinho did stay on loan to Vasco until 2010, he has since played his entire club career away from South America.
However, this summer, this may change. According to VAM Futebol, Vasco are aiming to bring Coutinho back to his former club.
The Brazilian side has already made ‘informal’ contact with the player’s representatives.
Despite Coutinho not being keen on the move in previous years, he is now prepared to reduce his salary to sign for the club.
Vasco are exploring the possibility of a loan deal. However, Villa are likely to request financial compensation with Coutinho’s contract set to expire in June 2026.
For a permanent deal to happen, Vasco needs the approval of 777 Partners. However, this is unlikely to happen after significant investment in the squad has already taken place. There is the possibility of departures which could free up the wage bill for Coutinho.
Vasco’s fans are particularly keen on the move and set up a ‘Volta, Coutinho’ campaign on X, formerly Twitter.
Aston Villa need to secure a permanent transfer away for Philippe Coutinho
While Coutinho’s transfer to Vasco may be good for both the player and the club, Villa need to think about their own interests.
The Brazilian now has only two years left on his contract. Another year away would drastically reduce his value.
Villa should only sanction a move to Vasco if it is a permanent one or they receive significant financial gain.
While this may be possible, the Birmingham outfit should try and explore other options to try and offload the midfielder this summer.
With FFP becoming an issue after nearly a £120 million loss in 2023, any financial gain is good for the club.
