Aston Villa have 'the edge' in Philippe Coutinho transfer battle

Philippe Coutinho’s start to life at Aston Villa could not have gone any better.

The Brazilian has already weighed in with two goals and two assists following his loan move from Barcelona, which is proving to be a stunning piece of business by Steven Gerrard.

Thoughts are already turning to what will happen in the summer, with Coutinho still having a year remaining on his Barca contract.

Due to his huge salary, the cash-strapped Catalans are keen to offload the 29-year-old and Villa are in pole position to sign him permanently.

As reported by BirminghamLive today, he could be available for £25million, a fee Villa would have little trouble affording, although his recent form will have alerted clubs around Europe too.

But former Leeds United defender Danny Mills says Villa will have the edge because Coutinho will be the club’s star player, a status he never enjoyed at the Nou Camp due to the presence of Lionel Messi.

“The financial package, the wages and the transfer fee, I would suggest would be quite difficult,” Mills told Football Insider.

“Yes, they want to keep him because he’s fit in immediately.

“They should have the money because of the owners and the Grealish money so that could give them an opportunity.

“Villa should have the edge. He’s happy there and is the star.

“He went to Barcelona and wasn’t the star, he went to Bayern Munich [on loan] and wasn’t the star. He comes to Aston Villa and is the star.

“I think that is really important at times to these players, to feel like the main man.

“There’s a great opportunity that he will stay at Villa.”