Aston Villa are reportedly not guaranteed to push through a permanent deal for Barcelona playmaker Philippe Coutinho.
When Coutinho made the temporary switch to the West Midlands in January, the two clubs in question agreed that an option to buy the Brazilian for €40m would be included in the proposal.
Having contributed four goals and three assists from his 12 Premier League appearances, taking the chance to sign the 29-year-old appeared to be a formality.
However, according to reports in Spain, Villa may "find it difficult" to meet the previously-agreed demands for Coutinho at the end of the season.
Instead, it is suggested that a re-negotiation of the fee may be the best way to resolve the situation, while other Premier League teams such as Newcastle United have been linked with Coutinho in recent weeks.
Coutinho's big-money contract at Barcelona will expire in 2023, leaving the La Liga outfit with little move to manoeuvre if Villa attempt to move the goalposts.
Darren Plant
