Expert believes Aston Villa may have paid Coutinho for early contract termination

Former Liverpool and Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho ultimately failed to settle at Aston Villa, and has now joined Vasco da Gama. Until recently, the terms of his move remained unclear, but fresh details have now emerged.

Details: According to financial expert Stefan Borson in an interview with Football Insider, the club may have paid Coutinho up to £7 million as compensation for the early termination of his contract, instead of covering his full £10 million salary for the remaining year.

This means Aston Villa potentially saved around £3 million by making a single, smaller payment up front, rather than paying the full amount over the course of the year. For Coutinho, this arrangement allowed him to decide his own future, and Vasco da Gama could make up the £3 million difference.

Reminder: Coutinho signed a one-year deal with the Brazilian giants.