Aston Villa have reportedly decided they are prepared to sell Philippe Coutinho during the January transfer window.
At the start of the year, Villa pulled off one of the most eye-catching additions of that period as they agreed a loan deal with Barcelona for the Brazil international.
Coutinho subsequently enjoyed a strong second half to the season, chipping in with five goals and three assists from 19 outings in the Premier League.
However, since Villa pushed through a permanent transfer for a fee in the region of £17m, the playmaker has come nowhere near to replicating his previous form.
In 640 minutes of football in all competitions during 2022-23, the 30-year-old has failed to contribute a single goal or assist.
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Furthermore, Coutinho is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury and it remains unclear when he will come back into contention under a new head coach in Unai Emery.
At a time when Emery wants to sign his own players, Football Insider claims that the decision has been made to try to sell Coutinho.
The report says that the player's representative Kia Joorabchian has been encouraged to find the former Liverpool star a new club before the end of next month.
Villa may have to be prepared to reach a compromise over a transfer fee due to the size of Coutinho's wages, making it unlikely that they will recoup the same amount that they shelled out as recently as May.
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Much will also depend on where Coutinho sees the next phase of his career having already spent time in England, Spain, Italy and Germany.
Coutinho still has over four-and-a-half years remaining on his contract, something which may force Villa to consider loan proposals for his signature.
Since Emery's arrival in the West Midlands, Villa have been linked with several attacking players who are currently plying their trade in La Liga.
While a successful approach for Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix looks unlikely, Villa have also been credited with an interest in Nicolas Jackson, who plays for Emery's former club Villarreal.
Darren Plant
