Aston Villa have signed former Barcelona playmaker Philippe Coutinho on a permanent deal from Barcelona.

The Brazilian moved to Villa Park on loan in January.

The 29-year-old has now signed on a contract running until 2026 for 20m euros (£17m) and have taken a considerable wage cut from his deal in Barcelona.

“This is a brilliant signing for Aston Villa,” said manager Steven Gerrard.

“Phil is a model professional and his impact on the group has been very clear since he joined in January.

“With the way he conducts himself on and off the pitch, he’s also a valuable role model for our younger players who can only benefit from his experience.

“As we look to build towards next season, it is incredible to work at a club that executes its business so decisively and smoothly.”

The former Liverpool playmaker has scored four goals and provided three assists at Villa.

He joined Barcelona in a £142m move from Liverpool in January 2018 and had 12 months to run on his contract.

Liverpool manager Steven Gerrard after Saturday’s impressive 3-1 win at Burnley made it clear that he wanted to sign Coutinho permanently.

Coutinho scored 54 goals in 201 appearances for Liverpool, who he joined in a £8.5m move from Inter Milan in January 2013.

He scored 26 goals in 106 appearances for Barcelona. BBC.