Steven Gerrard quest for Aston Villa Philippe Coutinho deal met with stinging ultimatum from Barcelona chiefs

Steven Gerrard’s quest to bring Philippe Coutinho back to the Premier League on a permanent basis has hit an unanticipated turn as the Barcelona directors expressed doubt over whether Aston Villa would follow through on their loan agreement deal.

The link-up of the former teammates has proved beneficial for both clubs with the Brazilian registering four goals and three assists from his dozen games since arriving on loan in January.

The 29-year-old had found himself frozen out at Camp Nou, and with his services essentially no longer required, the Catalan club are keen to take him permanently off their wage bill.

The deal that took the playmaker to the Midlands included release clause of £33 million for a permanent transfer but it has emerged that Barcelona's directors do not believe that Aston Villa are willing to pay it, and they now seek to know how they wish to proceed, according to the Mirror.

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A meeting with Coutinho’s representatives has been planned for this week in a bid to determine the future for the player, and if the response is deemed negative, the agents will start pursuing alternative opportunities with vigour.

Coutinho made a considerable impact during his time at Liverpool, and while