Aston Villa outcast has 'reached agreement' for summer exit that will involve '70% wage reduction'

The ongoing Philippe Coutinho saga will soon be over as the Brazilian is on the verge of joining the ninth club of his senior career. It was recently made common knowledge that Aston Villa are in negotiations over terminating the 32-year-old’s contract, and a move back to his boyhood club is currently in the works.

Coutinho spent last season on loan with Qatar outfit Al-Duhail, having struggled to establish himself as a regular part of Unai Emery’s squad. Upon his return, it has been made clear that he has no place in the future plans at Villa Park, opening the door for yet another move.

Vasco da Gama is where the journey started for Coutinho and both he and his former side have now reportedly ‘reached an agreement’. That’s according to Brazilian outlet Globo, who report that Vasco are now waiting on Villa to finalise the termination of Coutinho’s contract so the move can go ahead.

The report claims Coutinho and his representatives had been expecting an approach from Vasco and the two have already agreed on contract length and wage package. His salary was one of the key things discussed during their meetings and an update earlier this week reported that Coutinho ‘has signalled’ he will give up ‘a good part of the salary’ he currently earns in England in order to ensure a move back to Vasco gets over the line.

The offer from the Rio de Janeiro outfit has ‘indicated a reduction of around 70 percent’ of Coutinho’s current wages. In return for his willing to drop his pay so drastically, Vasco will become the playmaker’s partner in support of the Philippe Coutinho Institute. His main aim of returning to play in Brazil is to develop his organisation which aims to support young people and children in his home city of Rio de Janeiro.

Should Coutinho’s return to Vasco go ahead this summer, it will mark a full circle in his career. He moved from the Rio outfit to Inter Milan in 2010, which is where he caught the eye of those at Liverpool. His move to Merseyside saw him become a prominent figure in the Premier League, which eventually led to his £142 million move to Barcelona. However, Coutinho’s dream move to the La Liga giants went up in smoke and his career has continued to nose dive since then.

After Bayern Munich refused to buy the Brazilian following his loan move, Villa took him on for a reported £17 million. His initial loan spell in the West Midlands saw him contribute a respectable five goals and three assists in 19 Premier League appearances. His time is now coming to an end though and he is expected to leave once Villa give the green light.