In this file photo taken on December 18, 2021, Barcelona’s Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho warms up before the Spanish league football match between FC Barcelona and Elche CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Pau BARRENA / AFP

Philippe Coutinho is joining Aston Villa on loan for the rest of the season from Barcelona, the Premier League club announced on Friday.

“Aston Villa and FC Barcelona have agreed terms for Philippe Coutinho to spend the rest of this season on loan at Villa Park,” Villa said in a brief statement.

“The agreement, which is subject to the player completing a medical and receiving a work permit, also includes an option to buy and Philippe will travel to Birmingham in the next 48 hours.”

Coutinho, 29, joined Barcelona from Liverpool in 2018 but has struggled for form at the Nou Camp and spent the 2019/20 season on loan at Bayern Munich.

He will link up with Villa boss Steven Gerrard, with whom he played at Liverpool.

AFP