Forgotten man Philippe Coutinho on brink of leaving Aston Villa after club agree to send him out on loan transfer
ASTON VILLA’S forgotten star Philippe Coutinho is on the brink of joining Qatari side Al-Duhail, according to reports.
The 31-year-old has accepted a loan deal with the Middle Eastern team after rejecting offers from European giants.
The move can still go ahead as Qatar‘s transfer window does not close until September 18th.
Coutinho joined Villa initially on loan from Barcelona in 2022 to work under former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard.
He made the switch permanent last summer for around £17million.
But he managed just one goal and no assists in 2022-23, not featuring after February 18, with just one appearance on the bench in that time.
With the summer arrival of Moussa Diaby, and his recent hamstring injury, Coutinho has dropped further down the pecking order of Unai Emery‘s squad.
Now, Fabrizio Romano says Coutinho looks set to join Al-Duhail.
He tweeted: “Al-Duhail are now closing in on Philippe Coutinho deal!
“Agreement being sealed with Aston Villa on loan move with salary covered.”
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Coutinho previously received interest from Turkish side Besiktas and Spanish giants Real Betis.
Doha-based Al-Duhail have made a perfect start to the new season with two wins from two to sit top of the table.
There are no real household names in the current squad, with Portuguese defender Ruben Semedo arguably the most famous star.
Brazilian international Coutinho made a name for himself at Inter Milan and signed for Liverpool in January 2013.
He shone at Anfield for five years before a massive £145m transfer to Barcelona.
It did not work out as planned at the Nou Camp, though, leading to a loan to Bayern before returning to England to play at Villa Park.