Aston Villa supporters may still be smarting from the heart-wrenching departure of captain fantastic Jack Grealish but, make no mistake, this is a club heading in the right direction.
Backed and bankrolled by billionaire owners with a bite to match their bark, Villa have spent over £20 million on six different players since returning to the Premier League in 2019, breaking their transfer record on Emi Buendia before luring one of the most exciting, up-and-coming managers in European football away from a bonafide British giant.
And while Philippe Coutinho’s reputation may have taken a beating in the last few seasons – going from Liverpool’s talisman to Barcelona’s £146 million forgotten man in the blink of an eye – reports claiming that Aston Villa are willing to offer the 63-time Brazil international a fresh start is a reflection of the club’s sky-high ambition (Goal).
Notwithstanding his disastrous Camp Nou spell, Coutinho is a far bigger name now than he was nine years ago, when Aston Villa first expressed an interest.
“I can confirm Aston Villa made an enquiry,” Coutinho’s then agent, Cacau Barbosa, told FCInterNews in January 2013, via Goal.
Coutinho, at the time, was a frizzy-haired, baby-faced 20-year-old making a name for himself on loan at Espanyol from Italian giants Inter Milan.
“They want him.”
According to well-respected Italian journalist Gianluca di Marzio, Aston Villa submitted a bid in the region of £9 million.
Premier League rivals Liverpool would eventually win the race for Coutinho’s signature just two weeks later, investing a similar fee in a player who would net them a £130 million profit later down the line.
Could Coutinho finally join Aston Villa?
Coutinho has 18 months left on his Barcelona contract.
Given that he is now the best-paid player at a club desperate to free up space in their wage bill for new marquee signing Ferran Torres, few would be surprised if Coutinho becomes the latest Barca player to see his mega-money contract terminated.
And, almost a decade on, Aston Villa’s Coutinho story could come full circle.
The presence of his former Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard on the Villa Park touchline will do their hopes of a truly fascinating mid-season transfer no harm at all.
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