Philippe Coutinho: I don't regret signing for Barcelona

Philippe Coutinho has landed on his feet at Villa Park. The Brazilian playmaker, on loan from Barcelona, is finding his best level in Birmingham and looks increasingly the player he was at Liverpool. He says he does not regret signing for Barcelona, despite how things have turned out.

“No,” he said, when asked by ESPN. “In some moments you have to take decisions and one of my great dreams was to play at Barcelona. In that moment I decided to take that decision but always with a lot of love, respect and gratitude for Liverpool and my friendships there. But in that moment I had to take a decision and I don’t regret it.”

He says he is content to be back in the Premier League though.

“I am very happy. It was my desire to get back to playing here in England and play in the Premier League again. I am getting this chance and I’m very happy. It’s what I want. I work every day to play well and give good results for the club I play for.”

Coutinho is a big fan of his coach Steven Gerrard, whom he played with at Liverpool.

“I always admired him a lot. For me it was an honour to have okayed with him. Now having him as a coach, with the experience that he has, the training sessions have been hard and demanding. He has big ambitions, I’m happy to be there and I hope to respond to the expectations, helping the team achieve our objectives.”