Aston Villa confirm permanent signing of Philippe Coutinho

The

midfielder joined on an initial loan back in January, reuniting with former Liverpool teammate

who is now in charge at Villa Park.

90min

reported earlier this week that Villa were closing in on keeping

, and the club announced on Thursday evening that they have reached an agreement with Barcelona. The Catalan side have confirmed that Villa have parted with €20m (£17m) to secure Coutinho's signature, with

Barcelona

also retaining a 50% sell-on clause.

“This is a brilliant signing for Aston Villa. Phil is a model professional and his impact on the group has been very clear since he joined in January," Gerrard said of the deal.

“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.”

Coutinho has scored four goals and laid on three assists since swapping Catalonia for the West Midlands, getting off to scorching start in claret and blue before the team's form dipped. Villa sit two points outside the top half of the

Premier League

with three matches remaining and have a game in hand on several teams around them.

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