By Kevin Phillips

6th Jan, 2022 | 4:00pm

Phillips 'wowed' by new update on Aston Villa pursuit of 'brilliant' Coutinho

Kevin Phillips has heaped praise on Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho as Aston Villa look to win the race to his signature.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Claret and Blue said the 29-year-old is “brilliant” on the ball but raised concerns about his defensive capabilities.

A source has told Football Insider (6 January) that Villa are in pole position to sign Coutinho ahead of Arsenal and could strike a deal later this week.

According to Sky Sports (5 January), the Brazilian playmaker is keen on a return to England to join an ambitious club where he will play regularly.

The attacking midfielder has struggled in Spain since sealing a £146million move from Liverpool to Barcelona in January 2018.

When asked by for his assessment of Coutinho’s credentials, Phillips told Football Insider‘s Dylan Childs: “I’d have my doubts if he came back.

“He undoubtedly has immense quality but the Premier League is quicker are more physical than La Liga and he is a few years older now.

“What position would he play in because at Liverpool he was a luxury player? Managers want all 11 players to defend these days. Can he do that? It would be a concern for me.

“On his day though, wow, what a player. On the ball he is brilliant. In that sense he could be a great signing for someone.”

Coutinho has made 16 appearances across all competitions this season.

He has 18 months left on his contract at the Nou Camp.

In other news, a finance guru has claimed Sawiris has used ‘personal connections’ to strike Aston Villa deal after Africa news.