A Middle Eastern club has made a bid for Philippe Coutinho (31, Aston Villa).
“Coutinho could leave Aston Villa this summer,” British media outlet ‘Birmingham Live’ said on June 6 (KST), adding that “an unnamed Middle Eastern club has inquired about a move for Coutinho”.
European transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano also said, “A club in the Middle East has approached Coutinho,” adding, “It seems to be a Qatari club. Perhaps Coutinho will make a big decision between England, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.”
Coutinho’s departure from Europe has become more likely. Coutinho was once a big fish in the European transfer market. The total transfer fee Barcelona paid to Liverpool for Coutinho in January 2018 was €160 million ($230.3 billion). The base transfer fee alone was €120 million, with options worth €172.7 million and €40 million triggered.
The most expensive transfer in Barcelona’s history, Coutinho worked his magic on the pitch. Playing as a wing-forward as well as up front, Coutinho had the ability to set up teammates’ goals and create his own, especially with his winding runs from the flanks into the center.
Despite his astronomical price tag, Coutinho’s time at Barcelona did not live up to expectations. Increasingly struggling to compete for a starting spot, Coutinho was sent out on loan to Bayern Munich midway through his contract in a move that didn’t live up to the hype. Even after returning to Barcelona, Coutinho failed to resurrect his career and was eventually labeled a fraudster.바카라사이트
Last year, Coutinho left Barcelona for a permanent move to Aston Villa, where he played briefly on loan. Back in the familiarity of the English Premier League, Coutinho had a strong start to the season, but the sparkle soon faded. After scoring six goals in 41 games for Aston Villa, it was hard to see him rebounding.
The Middle East wants Coutinho now that he’s a little further away from the Premier League level. It’s Qatar, not Saudi Arabia, who have been keen to secure their star player this summer. However, Saudi Arabia’s Al Etihad were interested in Coutinho, so it’s possible they could try again after talks with the Qatari club surfaced. Al Etihad are managed by Steven Gerrard, who played with Coutinho at Liverpool, and Jordan Henderson has recently joined the club.
Still, the Qatari club is ahead of the pack. “Coutinho could leave Aston Villa if he gets a good offer,” Romano predicted.