Billionaire targets ‘dream’ Aston Villa transfer after Ronaldo Nazario takeover deal
Cruzeiro owner Pedro Lourenco has confirmed his club’s transfer interest in Aston Villa’s Philippe Coutinho.
Coutinho’s future at Villa Park will be in the spotlight this summer, after he spent the entirety of last season out on loan. While Unai Emery was guiding Villa to a top-four finish in the Premier League and qualification for the Champions League – as well as the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League – Coutinho was playing for Al Duhail in the Qatar Stars League.
The Brazilian, signed by former manager Steven Gerrard, is almost certain to leave Villa Park, with suggestions the club are exploring the possibility of cancelling his contract which runs until 2026, following his transfer from Barcelona. A transfer to Brazilian club Cruzeiro could also be an option, with Lourenco describing a deal as “a big dream”. Billionaire Lourenco completed a takeover of the club last month from Brazil legend Ronaldo.
“A big dream is Coutinho, for example. We have a big dream of bringing him in. A player like that,” he said, speaking to Globo. “Coutinho is a real dream, and if we can bring him in, we’ll make every effort.”
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