Aston Villa news: Major update on signing Coutinho on £33.7m permanent deal - sources
Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard will have no hesitation in telling the board to activate the £33.7million option in Philippe Coutinho's loan contract, Football Insider understands.
The manager was effusive of the 29-year-old's performance in Wednesday's 3-3 thriller against Leeds United, hailing a "vintage" display form his former Liverpool teammate.
A Villa source has told Football Insider that Villa have the option to convert Coutinho's loan into a permanent deal for £33.7m at the end of the season.
Gerrard was the driving force behind the playmaker's temporary move and will look to make that permanent in the summer.
He will be backed by the Villa board, who have demonstrated their willingness to invest huge sums on signings in recent years.
One potential obstacle could be the rival offers that Coutinho gets from other clubs if he continues his mini resurgence.
The Brazilian is contracted to Barcelona until the summer of 2023.
They have been trying to sell him without success since 2019, just 18 months after he joined from Liverpool in a deal worth up to £142m.
Coutinho was a fringe player at Barca in the first half of this season.
But he has made an instant impact at Villa, with two goals and two assists from his three Premier League matches.
He was outstanding against Leeds during his 78 minutes on the pitch before he was subbed.