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Coutinho And Gerrard during the Aston Villa-Southampton

THE ASTON VILLA MUST DECIDE

Good news for Barça! Gerrard confirms his desire to buy Coutinho

Published:8/05/2022 - 13:55h

Updated:8/05/2022 - 17:48h

Philippe Coutinho will have to return to FC Barcelona in July, as long as Aston Villa does not execute the purchase option that includes his loan for six months. For Steven Gerrard, coach of the 'villains', the priority is for the Brazilian to stay

Calendar of FC Barcelona

The FC Barcelona needs to resolve the contractual situation of several players of his staff to resolve his problems with the limit salarial of face to the 2022-23. One of the most urgent cases is the one of Philippe Coutnho, since the Brazilian will have to return to Catalonia in July if the Aston Villa declines the option of purchase no compulsory by 40 million euros that includes his cession. In this sense, Steven Gerrard, technician of the 'peasant', did not doubt in 'wet' on the continuity of the midfield player.

"Philippe has understood it. It has played a lot of parties followed. We want to Coutinho here", said the ex captain and legend of the Liverpool in the press conference post party of the Saturday in front of the Burnley (victory 1-3). The one of Rio de Janeiro was acting in Turf Moor and only played 11 minutes, second suplencia since it returned to England in January. The only time that the '23' had not been headline in the semester was on 15 January in his debut in front of the Manchester United (2-2), day in that it annotated his first goal with the T-shirt of the Aston.

In 1.088 minutes on the field in the Premier League, the player of 29 years adds 4 goals and 3 assistances, all they registered in his first 8 parties with the club of Birmingham. Further to have mermado his contribution goleador in the last days, the game of the ones of Gerrard follows depending to a large extent of the Brazilian, the one who has seem to have recovered the confidence and the physical state that characterised him in his stage with the Liverpool (2013-2018).

The 'reds' will be the next rival of an Aston Villa that, although it no longer plays by at all (ensured the permanence and does not have opportunity to go in in European glasses) will try amargar to the ones of Anfield in his fight by the title. This will be the first time that Coutinho confront to the Liverpool with the T-shirt of an English club, after his course to the Barça in January of 2018. The Brazilian has agreement with the Barça until June of 2023 and a clause of rescission of 400 million euros.

The index card of Coutinho, the main obstacle of the Aston Villa

Further of the wish of Gerrard, the things will not be easy for the Aston Villa from the financial point of view with the 'case Coutinho'. If the club wants to remain with the Brazilian will have to pay the 40 'kilos' that demands the Barça and do charge of the whole of the index card of the player. In this semester, the group 'peasant' only has paid 50% of the wage of the midfield player, which reaches the 16 million net euros by season.

Thus, the directive of the Aston probably will try to convince him to go down his wage from August, an option that maybe Philippe was not had to accept. The another alternative is the Newcastle. The 'urracas' himself have spare money to pay his signing and wage, but further of the interest filtered by the newspaper 'The Sun', for the moment the club has not had any approach with the managerial blaugrana by the player.