Aston Villa midfielder Philippe Coutinho has now asked to leave the Premier League club, according to reports in the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Falling out of favour

The Brazilian initially joined the Midlands outfit on a six-month loan from Barcelona before making his switch permanent last summer, where Steven Gerrard initially brought the best out of his former Liverpool teammate.

A drop in form and Unai Emery’s arrival, however, has seen the 30-year-old receive a considerable lack of minutes this season and an exit could now be on the cards in a potential move that would see him stage a comeback in his homeland.

The Latest: Coutinho requests exit

According to Goal in Brazil (via Sport Witness), Coutinho has ‘asked’ Villa for ‘permission to return’ to his nation in a bid to ‘make a name for himself again’.

Corinthians are named as the primary suitor for the maestro, who is ‘trying to force’ a move away from the top-flight, with his agent Kia Joorabchian already in talks with the Brazilian outfit.

NSWE want to ‘recover part of the money spent’ on him, though there is a chance of a ‘friendly termination’ taking place.

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The Verdict: Allow him to leave

Coutinho has been hailed a ‘magician’ by Roberto Firmino, and whilst it’s a shame that his stint has been so short, 2023 feels like it would be the right time to let him go.

The Rio de Janeiro native has only made one appearance under Emery and has so far failed to score or assist in any competition this season, showing that he no longer makes the impact he once did.

Should Villa receive a decent fee, they would then be able to put this towards future transfer funds and hopefully find a replacement in the winter window.