Philippe Coutinho celebrating an Aston Villa goal

Philippe Coutinho has been warned not to make a “reckless” decision by failing to sign for Aston Villa on a permanent basis by Jamie Carragher.

Coutinho is currently on loan at Aston Villa from Barcelona. After a few frustrating years since his Liverpool exit, he finally looks to be enjoying his football again. Indeed, he already has two goals and two assists from his first three Villa appearances.

Villa will have the option to make Coutinho’s transfer permanent in the summer. It would be beneficial for a Barcelona side who have been trying desperately to offload him – and also for Villa if he keeps contributing the way he has been doing so far.

But Coutinho will have to take a wage cut if he is to extend his Villa stay beyond these six months. They are not paying his full salary while he is on loan from Barcelona.

Now, though, he has been advised by Carragher – whose path he crossed briefly during his Liverpool days – to stick with Villa as long as he remains in this form.

“It is rare for any footballer to go through a career without having some regrets,” Carragher wrote for the Daily Telegraph.

“Every decision can have an impact on the short and long-term future.

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“Given what has happened since 2018, it would be strange if Coutinho has not often wished to turn back the clock and take a different path.

“If the positive early signs are a taste of what is to come, he may have a familiar dilemma should Villa seek a permanent £33m deal come the summer.

“To walk away from a club where the fans and manager adore him once would be careless. Doing it again would be reckless