Former Premier League striker, Gabriel Agbonlahor, believes Aston Villa has an advantage over Arsenal in the race for Philippe Coutinho’s future.
The midfielder has returned to top form since he moved from Barcelona on loan to Villa in the last transfer window.
He lit up the Premier League in his first spell at Liverpool and struggled at Barca.
However, he is now hitting top form in the competition again after returning in the colours of the Clarets and Blue.
Arsenal has become interested in a move for him following his return to form, and they could compete with Villa to sign him permanently in the summer.
But Agbonlahor believes the Brazilian will choose to stay at Villa Park because of Steven Gerrard’s influence.
He tells Football Insider:
“Sometimes other clubs can be interested but when you’ve got a relationship with a manager that’s bigger than anything else.
“A manager who understands your game, a manager who knows how to play to get the best out of you, a manager who knows how to manage your body and rest. That’s what you really want as a player.
“His relationship with Gerrard and the chance that Villa have given him to get back to his best form, I really do think he will sign permanently.”
Just Arsenal Opinion
The midfielder is on a huge salary at Barcelona and will probably want all or most of it covered when he permanently leaves the Spanish side.
Arsenal is better placed financially to inherit all or a huge percentage of his wages, and this is an advantage.
However, if the midfielder decides he wants to remain at Villa to keep working with Gerrard, we will lose out on signing him.
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Villa can have him.
Who would he replace? Odegaard? No thanks, I’ll stick with our Norwegian.
Xhaka? No thanks, we need a B2B with some steel, strength, and defensive nuance. None of those apply to Coutinho.
We dodged the Arthur bullet, let’s be sure to dodge this one as well.
We must go all out for Coutinho.
He will be only 30 in June so still very young.
We can get him for just 33 million only 3 mill more than Odegaard. Coutinho is only on 480,00k p/w a very reasonable wage. And after 3 years with us the 33 year old will be worth heaps in resale value. Ozil Sanchez Ramsey Willian Aubameyang prove that hig priced older players are the way forward.
get him in 🙂
Coutinho will of course come out with something magical occasionally, but we saw on Saturday the reasons why Bayern and Barcelona found him expendable. Why go for the Brazilian when we gave up Aubamayang someone who could have been much more prolific had he been properly coached. Amongst all the celebrations of temporarily being a top four again we somehow forget what a turkey of a striker Lacazette is. Fingers crossed that this impotence in front of goal will not cost us when it comes to the games that count against the Spuds, Chelsea and Manure.
Have faith in the team the manager and most of all God. 🙏🙏
Mike, we have no religion on football sites okay. Just for your info mate..
No Allah or Buddha or Trump or Bozzo or Putin or anything.
Remember the name….Just Arsenal…
I hope they have.
Have said all along he isn’t for us.
YET ANOTHER RUMOUR THAT WILL AMOUNT TO NOTHING, SAVE HOT AIR.
I am certain wise old MA will not bewasting our limited summer funds on a 30 year old fading midfielder on huge wages.
It makes no sense and I guarantee he will not be coming to us. MERCIFULLY!
Gabby… we don’t want Coutinho
I would like to have seen how good ( or bad) he would be against Arsenal. I am surprised Gerrard didnt play him. Where was he on Saturday??