Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard is hoping his team face competition to sign Philippe Coutinho in the summer.
The former Liverpool stars have linked up in the Midlands with Gerrard taking charge as Villa boss and bringing in the Brazilian playmaker on loan from Barcelona.
Coutinho was in need of a fresh challenge as his move from the Reds to the Catalan giants in January 2018 had turned into a nightmare.
His time at the Camp Nou was besieged by injuries and a loss of form, meaning he found himself on the periphery of the squad.
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However, since reuniting with Gerrard, Coutinho has rediscovered some spark and questions are being asked as to whether Villa will trigger the £33million option they have in the loan deal to make the transfer permanent.
Speaking ahead of his team's trip to Leeds United on Wednesday, the Liverpool legend said he'd be happy if other clubs were casting glances towards the 29-year-old.
"If a lot of people are looking at him because of his form for Villa, that’s what I want, in a strange way," he said. "I’d have taken that on the day we signed him.
"We've got an option on Phil at the end of the season and we’ll make the decision when the time is right. The key for me is the player. He seems really happy and settled.
"People have worked so hard to help him feel comfortable here and he’s playing some of his best football because of the job the club have done to make him feel welcome and help him find his football happiness again.
"I'm comfortable with the situation. Phil only needs to focus on Leeds and try to stay as consistent as he can and we’ll deal with everything else when the time is right."
Coutinho has netted three goals and notched three assists in his seven Premier League outings for Villa.
