Summary Aston Villa have embraced a new era of success heading into the Champions League next season, a remarkable achievement. With Unai Emery leading the team and a talented squad, there is potential for a deep European run. Philippe Coutinho's decline in performance at Villa suggests he should be sold this summer, given his market value and high salary.
Aston Villa know that next season, they will grace the Champions League with their presence, crowning an exciting new era with an achievement simply unthinkable only a few years ago.
What's more, with Unai Emery at the helm, a manager who has won four Europa League titles with Spanish sides Sevilla and Villarreal, there is a real chance that the talented squad can ruffle a few feathers and wade into the deeper phases of Europe's pre-eminent club competition.
Having overhauled the squad and seeming set to make further improvements over the coming months, Emery has been a revelation, though there are concerns about staying in line with Profit and Sustainability rules and, as such, players such as Diego Carlos and Jacob Ramsey have been linked with an exit.
But perhaps Emery should first turn to one of Aston Villa's biggest earners, Philippe Coutinho, who must surely be sold this summer.
Philippe Coutinho's Aston Villa career
When Aston Villa signed Coutinho from Barcelona for just £17m in May 2022 after welcoming him on loan the previous January, there was plenty of optimism surrounding a talented footballer who had suffered his struggles but was undoubtedly one of the most guileful, wondrous playmakers in Europe, with Thiago Alcantara even calling him a "phenomenon".
Matches played
19
20
Matches started
16
7
Goals
5
1
Assists
3
0
Pass completion
83%
78%
Key passes per game
1.3
0.4
Dribbles per game
1.1
0.7
Duels won per game
3.3
2.5
As the table shows, the Brazil international failed to replicate his initial performances at Villa and was unable to convince Emery that he deserved a place in the starting lineup, ousted from contention in February 2023 and not featuring again during the closing months of the 2022/23 campaign.
Loaned out to Al-Duhail in Qatar last summer, the 31-year-old is now set to return to his parent club but faces a premature exit after a disappointing return to English football.
Philippe Coutinho's market value in 2024
Once upon a time, Coutinho was one of the most coveted players in world football, joining Barcelona in a £142m deal in January 2018 following an incredible, talismanic career in Liverpool.
But he ultimately fell by the wayside in Catalonia and has failed to pick himself up at Villa Park, with his market value offering a poignant reflection of a career that perhaps failed to reach its possible zenith.
According to Football Transfers' player valuation model, Coutinho is now worth just £4.3m, which is actually slightly less than that of Carlos, with his fellow 31-year-old worth £4.4m.
Moreover, the playmaker's £125k-per-week salary towers over that of his countryman, who earns £100k-per-week and is deemed to be costing too much to keep at the club.
Given that GiveMeSport claim that Monchi and the powers that be at Villa are seeking a way to terminate Coutinho's contract, which runs until 2026, it paints a clear picture of how his stint at the team is viewed internally.
Villa must cash in on flop who’s earning more than Luiz & Ramsey
Monchi must ensure that this player is sold this summer.
ByAngus Sinclair May 25, 2024
There's no question that Emery has stirred up something wonderful at Aston Villa, constructing a squad with immense talent that is buttressed by wealthy, ambitious ownership.
But Coutinho has flattered to deceive on his return to English football and is unlikely to offer the robustness and application to succeed. He must be axed this summer.