Villa confirm loan deal for Coutinho

Philippe Coutinho will join Aston Villa from Barcelona on loan for the rest of the season. Villa have the option to buy the Brazil international, who is now expected to travel to Birmingham to complete the formalities of his move. The midfielder will link up with Villa boss Steven Gerrard, who he played with at Liverpool.

Barcelona confirmed Villa will pay part of Coutinho’s wages as he returns to the Premier League after four years.

He joined Barcelona from Liverpool in 2018 in a deal worth £146 million, but has struggled at the Nou Camp and spent 201920 on loan at Bayern Munich.

Despite helping Barca win LaLiga in 2018 and 2019, he never found the form he displayed in the Premier League with Liverpool. He becomes the first signing at Villa since Gerrard moved from Rangers in November.

Kieran Trippier has vowed not to give up on his England career after swapping Atletico Madrid’s Champions League campaign for Newcastle’s Premier League survival fight.

The 31-year-old full-back, who has 35 senior caps, secured his return to his native country yesterday when he completed a move which is understood to have cost the Magpies £12m plus add-ons on a two-and-a-half-year contract.

Eyebrows may have been raised at his decision, while more cynical onlookers have cited Newcastle’s

nnewfound Saudi-backed spending power as a factor, but the former Burnley and Tottenham defender has insisted his ambition remains as strong as ever.

Trippier, who played in his country’s World Cup semi-final defeat by Croatia in 2018 and Euro 2020 final loss to Italy, said: “I’m still ambitious, I still want to get in the England team.

“I know I’m up against Reece James, Kyle Walker and Trent (AlexanderArnold) and I feel I can still handle the pressure and performances. I still feel like I’m in very good shape.

“I know I’m up against three or four or five other right-backs, but I’ll never give up on the hope of playing for England.”

Mohamed Salah and Sam Kerr have been shortlisted for the Best Fifa Men’s and Women’s Player awards respectively.

Liverpool’s Egyptian forward Salah, who is with his national team preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations, has been nominated after a blistering start to the campaign at club level.

He is the Premier League’s top goalscorer so far this season, with 16 to his name, and is arguably in the best form of his life.

Bayern Munich and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski and Paris StGermain’s Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi are the other two names on the shortlist, which was announced by Fifa yesterday.

Chelsea Women forward Kerr made the women’s player of the year shortlist.

The Australian helped the Blues retain the Women’s Super League title in 2021 and reach the Champions League final.