EPL: Coutinho’s shock return to Premier League confirmed

Barcelona midfielder, Philippe Coutinho, has joined Aston Villa on loan until the end of the season.

This was confirmed by the Premier League club on Friday.

The agreement, which is subject to the player completing a medical and receiving a work permit, also includes an option to buy.

Coutinho is now expected to travel to Birmingham within the next 48 hours.

The Brazilian always wanted to return to England and play regular football and sees Villa as an ambitious club that are building something special for the future.

He knows the manager, Steven Gerrard well having spent two-and-a-half years with him at Liverpool and is said to already know a lot about Villa and their squad.

Coutinho was signed by Barcelona from Liverpool for a club-record £146m in January 2018, but he has struggled to hold down a first-team place at the Nou Camp and spent the 2019/20 season on loan at Bayern Munich.