PHILIPPE COUTINHO’S career in Europe could be over after he agreed to terminate his Aston Villa contract.
The former Liverpool playmaker, who cost Barcelona £142million in 2018, is back from his loan spell with Qataris Al-Duhail SC.
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And it’s reckoned the Brazilian’s first club are the early frontrunners to sign the 32-year-old.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claims Vasco da Gama, in Coutinho’s home city of Rio de Janeiro, hope to land their ex-youth player.
The former Inter Milan midfielder is available on a free transfer after cutting short a four-year Villa deal that was due to end in 2026.
Coutinho was a Liverpool hero under Brendan Rodgers and then Jurgen Klopp after arriving from the San Siro in 2023.
But he’s never been the same thrilling creative force since moving to Barca five years later.
Injuries and poor form must mean he’s one of the worst nine-figure buys ever.
Nonetheless, former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard, who was Villa manager at the time, reunited Coutinho with the Premier League on loan in January 2022.
A permanent £17m transfer to Villa Park followed four months later – but didn’t help him rediscover his Anfield levels of sharpness.
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And in September 2023 Al-Duhail borrowed him for the season.
But it appears Coutinho failed to impress in the Middle East enough to attract much interest from European clubs.
And having won the last of his 68 caps in 2022, he could be heading for what he’d hope would be home comforts at Vasca.
Coutinho’s displays aged 16 in Rio persuaded Inter to pay nearly £4m for him, although he had to wait until turning 18 to make the switch official.
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