Brazil star set to depart Aston Villa on loan
Forgotten Villa man Philippe Coutinho is close to securing a return to Brazil on loan.
The 32-year-old playmaker is expected to join Vasco de Gama, the club where he began his career as a teenager, though reports in South America claim the deal will not be permanent as previously expected.
Villa had been hoping to move Coutinho off the books for good after a nightmare couple of years blighted by poor form and injury since arriving in a £17million switch from Barcelona.
The former Liverpool star has scored just one goal in 22 Premier League appearances over the last two seasons, just seven of those starts. He spent the majority of last season on loan in Qatar with Al Duhail and hopes a move back home can revitalise his career.
Coutinho still has two years remaining on his Villa contract.
Comment Guidelines
Iconic Media encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.