‘My God’ – Aston Villa player compares transfer target to Lionel Messi
Philippe Coutinho has been in sensational form since returning to the Premier League after joining Aston Villa on loan from Barcelona in January.
The Brazilian has contributed six goals in his first seven league appearances for Villa and is showing the kind of form that tempted Barcelona to break their transfer record to sign him from Liverpool for £142m four years ago.
After Steven Gerrard convinced Coutinho to join Villa in January, initially on loan, the club have the option of buying him permanently this summer.
Having settled into his new surroundings, Coutinho quickly became Villa’s star man. He scored one and assisted another in the 4-0 win over Southampton at the weekend, as Gerrard’s side secured back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since November.
He will play a major role in any success the club finds by the end of the season.
And Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez has drawn comparisons between Coutinho and arguably the best player on the planet.
When asked who is the most skilled player he has ever played with, Martinez put the Villa Brazilian in the same category as Messi.
“Messi and Coutinho,” Martinez said on Ben Foster’s YouTube channel. “The way he (Coutinho) spins. The way he (flickers).
“Even when we’re bowling, he does these little tricks. He’s so skilled, my God.”
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