Arsenal are reportedly planning a summer move for Philippe Coutinho, who is currently on loan at Aston Villa from Barcelona.
The Gunners are the favourites to clinch the fourth spot in the league table among the likes of Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United. While there are still ten games left to be played, Mikel Arteta and the board have seemingly started planning for the summer transfer window.
According to Sport, Arsenal are readying a move for Philippe Coutinho after seeing him impress on loan with Aston Villa.
Coutinho, 29, joined the Villans on loan from Barcelona in January until the end of the season, with the Midlands club having the option to turn the deal into a permanent one by paying £33.57 million to the Spanish giants.
The Brazilian playmaker has impressed so far back in England, registering four goals and three assists in ten appearances for Steven Gerrard’s side.
As a result, Arsenal have been keeping an eye on the 29-year-old’s form at Aston Villa and would like to sign him in the summer when his loan deal expires, the report adds.
Philippe Coutinho to Arsenal – A wise move by the Gunners?
Arsenal bolstered their chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League with a 1-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday. If Mikel Arteta’s side manage to bring Champions League football back to the Emirates Stadium and are serious about challenging for major trophies again, then they will need to add some experienced, seasoned campaigners to their squad.
Aston Villa could face competition to sign Philippe Coutinho in the summer, with Arsenal reportedly planning a move for the Brazilian. #AFC
📲 Via: SPORT pic.twitter.com/eGyNDa4etL
— Transferchanger (@TransferChanger) March 21, 2022
The latest name to be linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium is Philippe Coutinho. The Brazilian international never came close to justifying his hefty price tag at Barcelona but seems to have found his mojo back at Aston Villa under the tutelage of Steven Gerrard.
The creative midfielder is playing with a lot of confidence and swagger at the moment, with much of Villa’s attacking play going through him. He is showing that with the right guidance and right players around him he will shine, and the same could also happen at Arsenal if they get him.
The Gunners have talented young creative midfielders in Martin Odegaard and Emile Smith Rowe, but someone like Coutinho would raise their squad’s quality. The Brazilian is, without a doubt, a superb player to watch due to his vision, incisive passing, reading of the game and set-piece prowess. He has an exquisite first touch, can dribble past players, create opportunities for his teammates and score goals in equal measure.
For an Arsenal team that have the possibility of playing in the Champions League next season, a player of Coutinho’s quality and experience could do wonders. His time at Liverpool was excellent, especially under Jurgen Klopp, and now that he is getting back to his old self, the Gunners must try their best to nab the 29-year-old playmaker under the noses of Aston Villa in the summer.
