Aston Villa sign Coutinho permanently from Barcelona for €20M

Philippe Coutinho isn't going anywhere.

Aston Villa reached an agreement to sign the Brazilian midfielder from Barcelona following his loan spell at the Premier League club, the English side announced Thursday.

Barcelona agreed to transfer Coutinho for €20 million (£17.2 million) and included a 50% sell-on clause if Aston Villa decide to sell him in the future.

Coutinho signed a contract that will keep him at Villa until 2026.

"This is a brilliant signing for Aston Villa," club manager Steven Gerrard said. "Phil is a model professional, and his impact on the group has been very clear since he joined in January.

"With the way he conducts himself on and off the pitch, he’s also a valuable role model for our younger players who can only benefit from his experience."

The 29-year-old enjoyed a bright start in his return to England after joining Villa on loan in January, scoring four goals and providing three assists in his first eight appearances.

But Coutinho has suffered a dip in form during the final months of the season, going without a goal or an assist in his last eight Premier League games.

However, Gerrard - Coutinho's former teammate at Liverpool - recently said he was eager to extend the attacker's stay despite his recent struggles.

The transfer fee means Barcelona will absorb a massive financial hit after agreeing to sell Coutinho for a fraction of the £106 million they paid to sign him from Liverpool in 2018.