Former Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho returned to the Premier League one year ago today after signing for an Aston Villa side then managed by Steven Gerrard.
It was the second time that the Brazilian playmaker's ill-fated stay at Barcelona had ended temporarily following a loan switch to Bayern Munich. But, unlike with Munich, his move to the Midlands would later become permanent, thus closing the chapter on his stay in Catalonia that started when he moved from Liverpool for an eye-watering £142m fee that remains the third largest in football history.
Coutinho would make 106 appearances for Barcelona, scoring 26 goals and winning La Liga and the Copa del Rey twice each, but his time with Lionel Messi and Co was plagued by injury and loss of form.
