A versatile player departs Aston Villa on loan: View

Philippe Coutinho has left Villa on loan for a second time and joined Vasco da Gama.

The 32-year-old Brazilian is returning to his homeland on a season-long deal with the aim of kick-starting his career at the club where it began.

Coutinho, still the third most expensive player in history following his £142million switch from Liverpool to Barcelona in 2018, has become something of a forgotten man at Villa due to poor form and a series of injuries.

He has started only seven Premier League matches since joining on a permanent £17m deal two years ago and spent most of last season on loan in Qatar with Al Duhail

Villa had been hoping to move Coutinho, who still ranks among their highest earners, off the books for good this summer but Vasco did not have the funds to offer a permanent deal.