Darren Bent has claimed that it’s ‘mad’ that Aston Villa could sign Philippe Coutinho, but he doesn’t think he will go to Everton, as he told talkSPORT.
The former Premier League striker thinks if Villa manage to sign the Barcelona playmaker, then it would be a ‘statement of intent’ from the Midlands club.
Aston Villa, along with Everton, are a number of Premier League clubs keen on signing the ex-Liverpool player, as reported by BBC Sport.
Coutinho has found life tough in La Liga ever since he left Merseyside for Catalonia, but form is temporary and class is permanent.
And Bent thinks it would provide the ‘wow’ factor if Coutinho ends up donning the Claret and Blue colours, but his Liverpool past means it’s a no-go to Goodison Park.
“It’s mad that,” said Bent. “I think he wants to leave. I think they want to get him off the wage bill.
“But if Aston Villa can somehow get Coutinho, then what a signing that is. And what a statement of intent that is. If Aston Villa can pull off this, then wow.
On whether Everton should look at him: “Really? Liverpool and Everton. Have they got the money to give him the wages that he needs?
“But I can’t see Coutinho going. Why would he want to put himself into that? Rafa is already there. He has played at Liverpool and played a big part at Liverpool. Would he want to go to Everton? Can’t see it happening.”
Aston Villa hold an obvious advantage in that they have Steven Gerrard to lure him towards their direction.
It may just be that, by the time Villa face Manchester United in the Premier League next week, after their FA Cup match, that Coutinho could possibly be lining up against them.
If that were to happen, then it would be some story but, at this moment in time, he is still a Barca player.
And Gerrard, after he was asked about those Coutinho rumours at his pre-match press conference, remained coy on the whole thing.
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