Aston Villa could sign Philippe Coutinho for a cut-price deal following his loan spell having agreed a potentially shrewd clause with Barcelona.
Villa have fended off intense competition to snap up Coutinho for the rest of the season.
He'll officially be a Villa player once he's completed his medical and received a work permit.
They've agreed to pay a large portion of his salary, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claiming Villa will pay around 65 per cent of his contract.
There's also an option - NOT obligation - to buy Coutinho in the summer for a measly €35-45 million (£29-38 million), according to Matteo Moretto.
So, Villa could potentially land a player who went for £142 million for around £30 million at the end of the season.
Coutinho has largely failed to impress at Barca since his switch in January 2018.
But if Gerrard can get the best out of the 29-year-old at Villa this season, then it could be a no-brainer to sign him in the summer.
Speaking about his first signing as Villa boss, Gerrard said: "I don't think you get a nickname as a magician if you're not a special footballer."
Coutinho will travel to Birmingham in the next 48 hours to finalise his move back to the Premier League.
He could be involved in his side's FA Cup clash against Manchester United next Monday.
And he then could make his league debut for Villa, again, versus Man United on January 15.
Topics: Aston Villa, Philippe Coutinho, Football
Nasir Jabbar