The wintry transfer market has made another splash with the return of Felipe Coutinho to the Premier League scene, joining Aston Villa, who have just been taken over by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard. The recently appointed manager is determined to lift Villa to a higher position and with the team currently sitting in 13th place, Gerrard's tenure has begun to bear fruit, but the challenge continues.
Philippe Coutinho and Steven Gerrard played alongside each other at Liverpool for several years and the understanding and cooperation between the two was unforgettable. Coutinho joined Liverpool in the 12/13 season, while Gerrard left at the end of the 14/15 season. Coutinho played alongside Gerrard for half of his six years at Liverpool and the two were close. Today, Villa are in desperate need of a player who can attack as well as organize, especially one who can play on the wings and in the middle of the park, to balance out the overly direct style of the team.
However, Coutinho's time at Barcelona has not gone well. Under the guidance of Xavi, he still struggled to get a chance to play. Despite going through several coaches, Coutinho didn't seem to become the team's main option and couldn't even bring substantial help to Barcelona on the field. His destructive power on the field is significantly weaker compared to his time at Liverpool.
