Gerrard sheds light on Aston Villa's interest in Coutinho, reveals there's a tight race for player

"Philippe Coutinho is a fantastic player. I appreciate that his name is linked with our club, but there are five other teams in the Premier League and other clubs in Europe that also dream about him," Aston Villa's coach Steven Gerrard has said.

"I understand this [interest] because we are speaking about a world-class player. To share a dressing room with him was an absolute pleasure."

According to previous reports, Coutinho was one step away from signing for Aston Villa on loan until the end of the season.

The Brazilian is reportedly open to leaving Barcelona since he understands that he will not be getting much playing time at Camp Nou. His contract with the Catalans runs until 2023.