Inter Miami line up another ex-Barcelona star as MLS side to continue spending

Inter Miami could become the latest club to try reviving the career of Philippe Coutinho as the out-of-favour Aston Villa player looks likely to again be on the move this winter.

Coutinho, 31, is on a season-long loan in the Qatar Stars League at Al-Duhail, but that temporary move is already becoming another unsuccessful one. Despite scoring five goals in ten appearances across all competitions, injuries have hampered him since signing in September.

Returning to the Premier League club now looks to be on the cards this month, but it will only be a brief one back in Birmingham. Villa head coach Unai Emery stated before the departure that he is not in the team's plans due to his consistent injuries.

Spanish sports newspaper AS reports that another loan away from the club will be sought, with MLS teams LA Galaxy and Inter Miami especially linked with facilitating such a move. Coutinho is no stranger to loan spells; this would be the fourth over the last five seasons.

He joined Villa on loan three years ago from Barcelona before making the move permanent. The former Brazil international also spent the 2019/20 season at Bayern Munich, but the German giants did not retain his services despite a relatively successful spell.

A similar outcome seems inevitable at Qatari champions Al-Duhail. They sit sixth and 14 points adrift of league-leaders Al Sadd.

And after venturing outside of Europe for the first time since arriving at Inter Milan as a teenager, a move to MLS now seems like the most plausible option for Coutinho.

LA Galaxy makes the most sense on paper, with the club opening up two designated player slots last year with the departures of fellow Brazilian Douglas Costa and Javier Hernandez. Their only designated player on the books, Riqui Puig, is also familiar to Coutinho, with the pair playing eight games together during their time at Barcelona between 2018 and 2022.

However, those ties to the Catalan club run deeper at Inter Miami. Summer signings Jordi Alba, Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets shared a pitch with him at Camp Nou.

Recent arrival Luis Suarez knows the playmaker better than almost anyone after calling Coutinho a teammate during their days at Liverpool before being reunited in La Liga. But if they can join forces for a third time remains unclear.

The club do not have an open designated player spot as Busquets and Messi, plus former club captain Gregore, are already taking up the allocated three. That did not stop them from signing Suarez, as he is reportedly on a significantly reduced salary compared to his earnings last year at Gremio.

He also signed on a free transfer after his renegotiated contract with the Brazilian club expired at the end of last year. Coutinho, meanwhile, is under contract at Villa Park for another six months.