- The 31-year-old Brazilian has played just six games since September and scored twice.
- Coutinho has also been linked with a move to LA, where ex-teammate Riqui Puig plays
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Philippe Coutinho could reunite with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami as the striker ‘does not figure’ in Unai Emery’s plans at Aston Villa after a loan spell in Qatar.
The 31-year-old Brazilian joined QSL club Al-Duhail on a temporary basis in September and scored on his debut in a 2-1 win over Al-Markhiya, but has only scored another goal in a total of six games in a season. four-month period.
He is now set to return to the Midlands this month, but Emery and Villa club officials are apparently looking for another way to send the player away in the form of a loan or a transfer.
According to the Spanish publication, there is mainly talk about Coutinho playing in Major League Soccer, and specifically at clubs such as Miami or LA Galaxy. IF.
Considered the most expensive signing of all time in January following his £142 million move to Barcelona in 2018, Coutinho has been unable to start a new career since his move six years ago.
Phillippe Coutinho is set to move to America when he returns from Qatar this month
The 31-year-old Brazilian could play with Lionel Messi again when he joins Inter Miami this month
Coutinho has struggled to feature since Unai Emery took over from Steven Gerrard in October ’22
He was loaned to Bayern Munich for the 2019-2020 season, and although he enjoyed a successful spell in Bavaria, scoring eight goals in 23 appearances and lifting a Champions League trophy, the Bavarians did not activate the option to sign the club. player on a permanent contract in the summer of 2020 for €120 million.
Coutinho then returned to Barcelona in August that year following the arrival of new coach Ronald Koeman, but suffered a serious knee injury in December, causing him to miss the remainder of the 2020/21 season.
Coutinho was loaned out by former Aston Villa manager and close friend Steven Gerrard in January 2022, making his stay at Villa Park permanent for an undisclosed fee, reportedly £17 million, on a four-year contract after scoring five goals scored in 21 games. performances in the second half of the 2021-2022 season.
But following Gerrard’s sacking in October 2022, Coutinho quickly found himself falling down the pecking order under Emery in attack, having only featured in 20 of a possible 38 Premier League games last season, scoring once.
Coutinho, whose elite vision and passing skills earned him the nickname ‘The Little Magician’ in his homeland, could not only play alongside Messi again in Miami, but also former Barcelona and Liverpool teammate Luis Suarez, who signed for the Herons for the match. 2024. -25 season in December.
Coutinho would also be reunited with Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, also previously of Barcelona.
In Los Angeles, the attacking midfielder, who can also play on the wing, would share the same pitch with ex-Barcelona teammate Riqui Puig.