Aston Villa have completed the permanent signing of Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona.
The 29-year-old Brazilian playmaker had been on loan at Villa since January in a deal which included an option to buy at the end of this season.
Coutinho, who had 12 months to run on his contract, signs a four-year deal to remain at Villa Park with Barça receiving €20m (£17m), the Catalan giants have also inserted a 50% sell-on clause for any future sale of the player.
“This is a brilliant signing for Aston Villa,” said Villa boss Steven Gerrard, who played alongside Coutinho at Liverpool.
“Phil is a model professional and his impact on the group has been very clear since he joined in January.
“With the way he conducts himself on and off the pitch, he’s also a valuable role model for our younger players who can only benefit from his experience.
“As we look to build towards next season, it is incredible to work at a club that executes its business so decisively and smoothly.”
The show goes on… pic.twitter.com/1WYAnUV8gU
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) May 12, 2022
Since joining the Birmingham-based club Coutinho has netted four goals across 16 league appearances while creating three more for his teammates.
He initially joined Barcelona from Liverpool for a reported £142m in January 2018, but struggled to hold down a regular starting berth, ultimately leaving the club with 25 goals in 106 appearances in all competitions. A previous loan spell at Bayern Munich saw him lift the European Cup.