Newcastle United 'ready to hijack Aston Villa's move for Philippe Coutinho'

Newcastle United are reportedly ready to sign Philippe Coutinho if Aston Villa do not sign the Barcelona playmaker on a permanent basis.

The Brazil international has been hugely impressive since his loan switch in January, contributing four goals and three assists from 10 Premier League appearances.

However, while Villa possess the option to sign Coutinho for €40m in the summer, there are no guarantees that the West Midlands outfit will commit to paying such a fee for a 29-year-old.

According to Sport, Newcastle are prepared to capitalise on the situation should Coutinho remain on the market during the summer transfer window.

The report suggests that Coutinho would also be unable to turn down the offer of bigger wages and an exciting project at St James' Park as the Magpies look to put together a squad capable of qualifying for Europe.

Villa are unlikely to make a decision on their option until they have made calls on other transfer plans for the summer.