Philippe Coutinho, who left Liverpool in 2018 to sign for Barcelona, is set to join his sixth club since departing Anfield, where he will link up with Neymar once again
Philippe Coutinho in action for Vasco da Gama.
Philippe Coutinho in action for Vasco da Gama.(Image: Wagner Meier/Getty Images)
Former Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho is set to sign for the Brazilian giant Santos, where he will link up with his ex-international teammate Neymar.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Brazilian will undergo medical tests tomorrow. Coutinho has already played for five different clubs since leaving Liverpool in 2018 to sign for Barcelona for a fee that might have reached around $193 million (£143 million), including add-ons.
He has also played for Bayern Munich and Aston Villa. Coutinho then joined Al Duhail in Qatar for a spell, before moving back to Brazil to sign for Vasco da Gama. Now 34, he departs as a free agent.
In April 2025, Coutinho claimed that he didn't regret leaving Liverpool, even though the move didn't work out.
"We had loads of conversations. At that time, I really wanted to move to Barcelona," Coutinho said in an honest interview.
"We had many discussions about staying, about leaving. But, eventually, the club (Liverpool) agreed to let me go and I joined Barcelona.
"The beginning was really good. My first six months at Barcelona were great. We won a title and I was playing really well. But the following season, after the World Cup, I was not in the same shape.
Philippe Coutinho poses for a photograph with his new shirt as he is unveiled at Camp Nou
Philippe Coutinho poses for a photograph with his new shirt as he is unveiled at Camp Nou(Image: Getty)
"My performances dipped and that was tough for me. I wanted to meet expectations, my own expectations as well but I just wasn't able to.
"That period was really challenging for me but I leaned on my family and in my faith, I've always believed in God. That helped me stay strong through it all."
Liverpool wanted to keep Coutinho and successfully avoided losing him in the summer of 2017. However, by the following January, it was better to cash in for an inflated fee.
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That money was then reinvested in signing Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker, who have gone on to put themselves in contention for being the best players in the club's history in their positions.
Liverpool.com says: Coutinho at his peak was magical. The hope is that in time, Florian Wirtz can go on to do something similar for the Reds, as another technically gifted number 10 capable of gliding past opponents when in his groove.
Matching the level that Coutinho reached in his final six months at Liverpool, alongside Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, would be hugely exciting.