Coutinho sees future in Spain

Inter Milan’s Philippe Coutinho wants to stay at Espanyol after his loan deal with the La Liga club expires at the end of the season.

Coutinho, 19, has impressed since his January move to Espanyol, and has relished the chance to impress on a regular basis in the Spanish top flight.

“Here I have chances to play and the opportunity to do things,” he was quoted as saying by Marca.

“I don’t know if it’s better here for me or in Serie A, but we’ll see over time.

“I have been very well received and I feel happy when I get the support of the people. I am very happy, and I always try to do my best and help the team.”

Espanyol are seventh on the La Liga table, seven points back from fourth-placed Malaga.

They have at best an outside chance of qualifying for the Champions League, but Brazilian Coutinho maintains finishing in the top four is the team’s main objective in the final weeks of the season.

“The Champions League is the goal of both myself, and the squad,” he said.

“I want to achieve the absolute maximum.”

Coutinho has scored four goals in nine league appearances for Espanyol since his arrival at Estadio Cornella-El Prat.

A product of the Vasco de Gama youth system, Coutinho signed for Inter in 2008, but only joined the Serie A powerhouse in July 2010, after his 18th birthday.