Aston Villa latest news: Philippe Coutinho's already had massive impact on Villa Park icon | OneFootball

The Athletic reporter Gregg Evans has revealed that Jack Grealish admired Philippe Coutinho's skillset during his time at Aston Villa.

Grealish developed into a star at Villa Park, particularly in his final two seasons at the club, prior to his £100m move to Manchester City back in August.

What's the latest news involving Coutinho?

After weeks of speculation, Coutinho's future has finally been decided in recent days.

It was reported on Friday afternoon that Villa had beaten a number of clubs to the 29-year-old's signature, subject to the player completing his medical with no issues.

On Tuesday, official confirmation came through that Coutinho has now joined Villa on a loan deal until the end of the season, and the Midlands-based club will have the option to buy him permanently in the summer.

What has Evans said about Coutinho and Grealish?

Grealish is now one of the most talked about players in the Premier League, and Coutinho formerly held this mantle when he played for Liverpool between 2013 and 2018.

When asked if any comparisons could be drawn between the two attacking midfielders, Evans told GIVEMESPORT: “It’s interesting, isn’t it, because Grealish used to talk about Coutinho quite a lot. He used to say Coutinho was a player he liked, and not necessarily modelled his game on, but certainly liked watching him and tried to pick up tips from.”

Can Coutinho follow in Grealish's footsteps at Villa?

Since departing Liverpool four years ago, Coutinho's career has not panned out how he would have liked. Injuries and loss of form meant that he failed to impress at Barcelona or on loan at Bayern Munich.

If he continues to perform at his recent level, his return to the Premier League may be a short one.

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However, he does not turn 30 until June, so there is still time for him to turn things around. Grealish was Villa's chief creator in his final years at the club, and Coutinho has shown in the past that he can conjure up a piece of magic from out of nowhere just like the England international.

Therefore, working under Steven Gerrard, who he played alongside at Anfield, Coutinho may fancy his chances of getting back to his best in the second half of the season and lifting the side into the top half of the table, which could earn him a permanent move at the end of the campaign.