Philippe Coutinho has wasted little time settling in at Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa, scoring on his debut and continuing to impress for a squad which continues to impress its new manager, but a permanent move from Barcelona is still no certainty.
The Brazilian has three goals and three assists in just seven appearances for Gerrard's side, and the manager has been singing Coutinho's praises as Villa prepare to take on a Leeds United side against whom the 29-year-old netted in February.
Wages could be the biggest obstacle in the way of a permanent switch, though, with Coutinho's £480,000-per-week Barcelona pay packet dwarfing even the highest earners at Villa Park.
While Gerrard would like to keep hold of his former Liverpool teammate, the complicated situation means nothing is set in stone.
Should Villa pay whatever it takes for Coutinho? Have your say in the comments section
“For me it doesn’t make any sense to make any decisions now," Gerrard said before the Leeds game.
“When he’s physically in the right place, when he’s comfortable and happy and enjoying his football, we all know we’re dealing with a world-class talent.
“We just need to keep enjoying him, to keep him healthy from now until the end of the season and I’m sure he’ll help us. To watch him and work with him and see him get back to his top form and enjoy his football again is a pleasure.”
Upon signing on loan for Villa, Coutinho made direct reference to the role played by Gerrard in convincing him to make the move.
"I spoke a lot with Stevie and he told me about the club, the ambitions of the club and his ambitions," he told the Aston Villa website.
"When I spoke with him, after the meeting, it was clear for me that I wanted to be here and I think it was quickly. I’m happy to be here.
The challenge now is budgeting for the high wages, as well as a likely £33m transfer fee - far less than the sum paid by Barcelona to Liverpool back in 2018, but still a substantial outlay for a player who turns 30 before the end of the year.
The Telegraph reports that Coutinho's wages remain the stumbling block, with Villa's owners happy to meet the asking price as far as a transfer fee is concerned.
While the Premier League side are currently paying £120,000 per week for the duration of his loan, this is just one quarter of what he is picking up at Camp Nou, where he has another year left on the deal he signed upon arriving from Liverpool.
Jack Grealish was the club's highest earner before his summer move to Manchester City, taking home a reported £130,000 per week, and even a hit of 70% would see Coutinho break that record.
Still, if the Brazilian continues putting in the kinds of performance we've seen from him so far, Villa may feel they have no choice.
