Philippe Coutinho finds himself at a crossroads in his career after quitting Vasco da Gama, with the former Liverpool playmaker considering retirement aged 33.
Coutinho departed boyhood club Vasco last week after being substituted at half-time and booed by his own fans, releasing a statement vowing to “prioritise [his] mental health.”
“Being judged by countless people for something that has nothing to do with my character is extremely difficult,” the Brazilian wrote on Instagram.
Vasco agreed to a mutual termination of his contract and that means he is now able to join another club as a free agent.
ESPN Brasil reports that Coutinho has already received an offer from Russia but is likely to reject that, with the attacker instead facing a decision over whether to head to MLS or even retire.
Why Coutinho could choose MLS transfer to end his career
NORWICH, ENGLAND - Sunday, April 20, 2014: Liverpool's Luis Suarez celebrates scoring the second goal against Norwich City with team-mates Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho Correia during the Premiership match at Carrow Road. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
No MLS clubs are named but it stands to reason that there would be interest with the transfer window not closing in the United States until March 26.
Coutinho’s former team-mates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are both at Inter Miami, as were Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets before their retirement, and another in Javier Mascherano is currently their head coach.
However retirement seemingly cannot be ruled out for a player who has struggled ever since leaving Liverpool for Barcelona in a £142 million transfer in 2018.
Philippe Coutinho: Career Stats by Club
Club Years Games Goals Assists
Vasco da Gama 2008-2010 43 5 2
Inter Milan 2010-2013 47 5 4
Espanyol (Loan) 2012 16 5 1
Liverpool 2013-2018 201 54 44
Barcelona 2018-2022 106 25 14
Bayern Munich (Loan) 2019-2020 38 11 9
Aston Villa 2022-2024 43 6 3
Al-Duhail SC (Loan) 2023-2024 23 8 4
Vasco da Gama 2024-2026 81 17 8
An unsuccessful stint at Aston Villa proved his last attempt at top-level football before heading to Qatar with a loan spell at Al-Duhail SC and then rejoining Vasco in his native Brazil.
The breakdown of his time in Rio de Janeiro has left the 33-year-old at a crossroads and it only further highlights the astonishing deal Liverpool were able to agree eight years ago.
With the money brought in from Coutinho’s sale the club were able to reinvest in Alisson and Virgil van Dijk, who proved transformative signings in their success under Jurgen Klopp and remain key players today.
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