Aston Villa’s negotiations with Barcelona for Philippe Coutinho are ‘progressing well’, but the Catalan club’s desire for a ‘mandatory’ purchase clause remains a sticking point.
Barcelona are determined to get rid of Coutinho, who is the highest earner at the club, this month to take his wages off their accounts and free up funds.
Aston Villa have emerged as the surprise favourites for his signature, and reports in Spain over the last few days have made it clear they are pushing to get a deal done for Steven Gerrard.
A report today stated talks were at an advanced stage, and Sport confirm that is the case, but with one caveat.
The newspaper explains all of Barcelona’s focus is on getting rid of Coutinho, and their hope is that his departure can be finalised this week.
Their aim is to ‘dispose’ of the Brazilian with a lowball sale or a compulsory option to buy at the end of the season.
It’s a ‘difficult operation’ to get done, though, and while progress is being made with Aston Villa, the player’s entourage want to wait to see if there are other offers.
The final decision will be Coutinho’s, and he appears to have been convinced by Gerrard to make the move but finding an ‘economic agreement’ with the Villans is not easy.
They’re set to pay half of the midfielder’s salary, but Barcelona want to include a compulsory purchase option in the deal. If that is to happen, Villa will have to reach an agreement with the player to ‘adjust his salary’ over the next few years. In other words, it all depends on Coutinho.
His entourage are making it clear that his final decision will depend on the sporting project that is presented to him.
Coutinho wants to feel important again and have the chance of winning titles but all Aston Villa have presented so far is an ‘ambitious project for the future’. That is why his agents are waiting for other offers.
Barcelona want everything to be done as quickly as possible so they can get rid of Coutinho’s wages and use that space to register Ferran Torres and perhaps another striker.
They expect the deal will be finalised this week, and all signs point to Villa Park, but ‘everything’ will depend on whether Coutinho follows them.
