---
title: "Aston Villa: Philippe Coutinho backed to leave"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-premier-league-philippe-coutinho-transfers-news-updates/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Henry Jackson"
section: "Aston Villa News"
published: "2022-12-26T11:10:21Z"
modified: "2022-12-26T11:10:21Z"
---

# Aston Villa: Philippe Coutinho backed to leave

**[Philippe Coutinho](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/tag/philippe-coutinho/) is likely to leave [Aston Villa](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-news/) now that Unai Emery has replaced Steven Gerrard as manager, according to the club’s former striker Gabby Agbonlahor.**

### The Lowdown: Coutinho struggling for game-time

The Brazilian’s career has taken a nosedive since his time with Liverpool, having grown into arguably one of the best players in the [Premier League](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/premier-league-news/) at one point – he was named in the [PFA Team of the Year](https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/32472834) in 2015.

Coutinho has been disappointing for Villa after a bright start during his loan spell in 2021/22, [joining permanently](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/aston-villa-philippe-coutinho-transfer-barcelona-b2077877.html) during the summer but only starting [six](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/80767/Show/Philippe-Coutinho) league games so far this season.

Recent [reports](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/aston-villa-news/aston-villa-philippe-coutinho-transfer-news/) have suggested that the 30-year-old could be sold by the Villans in January, with Emery not seeing him as a part of his plans.

### The Latest: Coutinho could leave Villa

Speaking to [Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/agbonlahor-suggests-philippe-coutinho-has-played-his-last-aston-villa-match-after-january-reveal/), Agbonlahor claimed that Coutinho could depart Villa Park in favour of a fresh challenge, especially now that his ex-Liverpool team-mate Gerrard isn’t in charge in the Midlands.

The [talkSPORT pundit](https://www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiJp63thZf8AhWbgVwKHTg2BWIQFnoECDEQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Ftalksport.com%2Fwho%2Fgabriel-agbonlahor%2F&usg=AOvVaw1BF_H6RlQoShlgbuq-HNV8) said of the Brazilian playmaker:

> “I don’t think he’s going to have the motivation. He missed out on the World Cup and that will have hurt him. The manager who brought him in, Steven Gerrard, has gone.
>
> “It’s just not the same Coutinho who was at Liverpool. He didn’t do it at Barcelona and Bayern Munich. When Aston Villa signed him you thought ‘Can he get back to that level?’ but he’s just not the same player. Sometimes you are just not the same player, you don’t have the legs and can’t get around the pitch as much.
>
> “I just don’t see him playing in that side. If you look at Emery’s tactics in the last game against Brighton, it was four centre-midfielders across the midfield with Buendia playing behind Ings.
>
> “I just don’t see Coutinho getting game time. It wouldn’t surprise me if he goes to America or Brazil and plays the last bit of his career there.”

[Aston Villa latest updates!](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/aston-villa-latest-updates-5/)

### The Verdict: Time to move on

It makes sense for everyone for Coutinho to leave in January, with the 30-year-old seemingly a shadow of the player he once was, simply not influencing matches as much anymore. That can be seen in how his [WhoScored](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/80767/History/Philippe-Coutinho) performance ratings have dwindled since his Liverpool days.

There was hope that he could be an inspired signing by Villa, raising the quality of those around him, but he instead looks like a player lacking the spark that he virtually guaranteed in previous years.

Selling Coutinho in January would free up a substantial portion of the Villans’ wage bill – the £125,000-a-week man is their [third-highest earner](https://fbref.com/en/squads/8602292d/2022-2023/wages/Aston-Villa-Wage-Details) – and free up funds to sign a younger replacement with greater long-term potential who could make more of an impact in 2023 and beyond.

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