Gerrard confirms Aston Villa want to keep Barça's Philippe Coutinho

Gerrard confirms Aston Villa want to keep Barça's Philippe Coutinho

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The Brazil international has been on loan at Villa Park since January

Aston Villa coach Steven Gerrard confirmed the Premier League club want to keep on loan Barcelona forward Philippe Coutinho next season.

Coutinho, 29, joined Villa in January and the English side have an option to make the deal permanent for €40 million in the summer.

"We want Phil Coutinho here (next season), for sure," Gerrard said after his side's 3-1 win over relegation threatened Burnley on Saturday.

Coutinho has scored four and set up three in 15 Premier League appearances since joining Villa but was left on the bench at Turf Moor this weekend, with Emiliano Buendia taking his place.

"No, Phil was (not disappointed) to miss out," Gerrard added. "There's not much ego in this group. They're a good set of lads. The schedule, we've been playing one game a week/two weeks which isn't enough. We want to be in a place where the games come thick and fast.

"We've just entered the period where it's going to change with five games in a short space of time. Phil and Emi will both get enough game time to keep them satisfied. They know that you can't go Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday all of the time. Phil understood it.

"He's played a lot and respected and understood that Emi deserves to play now and again as well -- plus there's the option of playing them both as well."

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