Aston Villa have reportedly opened talks with Barcelona over making loanee Philippe Coutinho's stay at Villa Park permanent this summer.

What's the story?

According to 90min, Villa are in talks with the Spanish giants over a potential permanent move after the Brazilian's excellent start to life in the West Midlands.

The former Liverpool star has already scored four goals and assisted a further three in ten appearances for Steven Gerrard's side, having swapped the Nou Camp for Villa Park in January for the remainder of the season.

However, Aston Villa are believed to have significant plans for the upcoming transfer window and the addition of the 29-year-old on a permanent basis would certainly fit into the category of ambitious signings.

The loan deal has a £34m option to buy which shouldn't prove an issue, however, the Brazilian playmaker's salary in Catalonia was just shy of £500k per week, something that the Villa hierarchy will have to overcome.

Gerrard will be ecstatic

It's no secret that the fact that Coutinho's former captain at Liverpool was the Aston Villa manager acted as a contributing factor to the Brazilian's return to England. Having known the 29-year-old very well already, Gerrard has been able to unlock the world-class ability the winger undoubtedly possesses but hasn't displayed regularly since leaving Anfield.

Having joined Barcelona in January 2018 for a deal worth a whopping £142m, Coutinho has scored just 25 goals in 106 appearances for the Catalonian club.

Given his struggles, the 29-year-old joined Bayern Munich on loan for the 2019/20 campaign, scoring 11 goals in 38 appearances as the German heavyweights won the Champions League, with Coutinho playing in an 8-2 drubbing of his parent club in the semi-final.

The playmaker is of a certain pedigree that Aston Villa haven't had amongst their ranks in a seriously long time, if ever, having scored 105 career goals in 437 appearances and could be regarded as the first step of the club's proposed development.

Already, the Brazilian has doubled the goal tally of last summer's major signing Emi Buendia, who has struggled to settle at Villa Park after a club record £38m move from Norwich City.

Moreover, Coutinho is one goal shy of striker Danny Ings' record for the season, another big-money signing last summer, and three behind Ollie Watkins. With a goal contribution rate of one every 1.43 games, the Brazilian is by far the club's most threatening asset in the final third.

Having spent £38m on Buendia last summer, paying the £34m option in Coutinho's loan deal shouldn't prove any hassle with the Brazilian arguably already justifying that fee. However, Gerrard and the Villa hierarchy will have to overcome the predicament that is the winger's salary.

Paying a player just shy of £500k-per-week would be a major risk from the West Midlands outfit, despite the talent of Coutinho. If an agreement to whittle down the 29-year-old's pay can be made, it seems as though there is no reason why the Brazilian won't be a permanent Aston Villa player next season.

In other news - Imagine him & Watkins: Lange could raise the roof at Villa with "strong" £290k-p/w gem