Philippe Coutinho (foto: Getty Images)
Aston Villa's Brazilian star, Philippe Coutinho, is on the verge of a transfer to Al-Duhail in Qatar, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Coutinho has given the green light for the move, and the two clubs are finalizing the details of the deal. Despite interest from Besiktas in Turkey and La Liga's Real Betis, Coutinho has chosen Qatar as his next destination.
Coutinho's career took a downturn after moving from Barcelona to Villa Park on loan in hopes of revitalizing his career. He made an instant impact, leading to a permanent move last summer. However, his form declined last season, and he was sidelined under Unai Emery. This season, he hasn't started a Premier League or Europa Conference League qualifier.
Arriving from Inter Milan in 2013, Coutinho made 201 appearances for Liverpool, leaving an indelible mark with 54 goals and 45 assists during his illustrious tenure on Merseyside.
In 2018, he embarked on a £142 million move to Barcelona, which at the time, ranked as one of the most expensive transfers ever. However, his time in Spain failed to truly take flight as he featured in just 106 matches, tallying 25 goals. A loan spell with Bayern Munich followed, a period that saw him score twice against his parent club in the infamous 8-2 Champions League semi-final victory.
Returning to the Premier League on loan with Aston Villa, Coutinho initially displayed glimpses of promise before completing a permanent transfer last summer for £17 million.