Philippe Coutinho still has a contract at Aston Villa until 2026.
The attacking midfielder lost prominence at Aston Villa after Unai Emery took charge in November 2022. Last season, he was on loan at Al-Duhail and the Villans let him join Vasco da Gama on a temporary move last summer.
Back in January, we covered claims from Brazil about Vasco da Gama wanting to extend his loan stay until the end of this year.
Earlier this month, O Globo also reported there’s a general disappointment with Coutinho at his former club. Despite this, they are aiming to retain him beyond his current loan spell.
Vasco da Gama executive director of football Маrcelo Sant’Ana gave an interview to Cazé TV and O Dia have relayed his comments. The official claims his side and the Aston Villa man are considering the option of extending his stay.
“We are also evaluating this with the player himself. Coutinho still has one more year on his contract with Aston Villa,” he said.
“We know how important he is. He has already shown signs of growth this season. He had the opportunity to do a pre-season, to get in better condition.
“He is adapting and happy. If this story continues in a positive way in the middle of the year, we will definitely try to extend his contract.”
If Aston Villa sanction another loan move for Coutinho in the summer window, they could risk losing him as a free agent in 2026.
Coutinho was a product of Vasco da Gama’s academy and since returning to the club, he managed seven goals and an assist from 28 matches.