Gerrard on Coutinho signing: He can go up another level

Philippe Coutinho can still go up another level, says Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard, after the playmaker signed a permanent deal with club on Thursday.

Coutinho, 29, initially joined Villa on a six-month loan from Barcelona in the January transfer window, with Gerrard hoping to be able to then persuade the player to move to Villa Park permanently.

The Brazil international, who made his Villa debut as a substitute against Manchester United on January 15, has so far contributed four goals and three assists in his 16 Premier League appearances.

As a result, Coutinho - who used to play alongside Gerrard at Liverpool - has now decided to swap the Camp Nou for the west Midlands, signing a four-year contract with the club.

When asked why he thought Coutinho made the swap from Barcelona to Birmingham, Gerrard initially joked: "Probably my banter and my company to be honest!"

He then added: "I was aware a little bit before it was announced and I think it's fantastic for everyone connected with the club. You've seen the reaction from the supporters, it's very positive, they've seen him over the last five or six months play ever so well.

"He's still got loads left in him, in our opinion. To have him here full time and settled, I think he'll come again and go up another level because of that feeling of knowing where he's going to be playing for the next four years.

"I think he is a player that needs to feel wanted, he needs to feel support. Everyone at Villa is playing their part… the owners especially have made him feel really special. He feels really happy here and it's fantastic that he wants to be part of this journey.

"I think you can't underestimate football happiness. In any walk of life, in any job, you've got to get