A few years ago he was the second most expensive player in the world, now Philippe Coutinho (29) is moving to an average English team. About a former magician who has long since ceased to be one.
It’s no coincidence that Aston Villa, of all clubs, have made an effort to sign Philippe Coutinho. Because the coach there is called Steven Gerrard. And Gerrard, that’s Liverpool FC in a way.
And eyes still light up on the Mersey, thinking back to the “Little Magician”. A nickname he was given at Anfield Road – and quite rightly so. First goal in the second game, brilliant passes, strong standards, accurate dribbles, crowd favourite – Coutinho at the top, his name mentioned in the same breath as Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar. His signature move, the dribble from the left into the middle followed by a right-footed shot into the far corner, seemed as difficult to defend as that of Arjen Robben. Everyone knew what was coming. But still it kept hitting the goals of the Premier League clubs.
Suddenly Barcelona is Coutinho’s home
And so it was no surprise that FC Barcelona came knocking in the summer of 2017, although the prospects for a transfer actually seemed rather bleak. After all, Coutinho had only just extended his contract with Liverpool in the winter and included a declaration of love for the club in his signature. “Me and my family feel at home in this city, we feel part of this city,” the Brazilian enthused.
Six months later, he performed an undignified melodrama at an international match with the Seleçao because Liverpool did not show the slightest interest in giving away their top scorer to a direct competitor in the fight for international trophies.
However, 120 million euros consoled Liverpool over the loss. Coutinho’s unbearable suffering, incidentally as the highest-paid professional at Liverpool FC, was put to an end. He was allowed to transfer. But from now on, the magic of this story is lost for good.
Although Coutinho regularly lifted trophies into the sky, the problem was: he rarely really contributed that much, at least considering that he was the second most expensive footballer of all time at the time. He scored 21 goals in 72 competitive games for Barça, and after a year and a half, even Catalonia began to have doubts about the undoubtedly highly talented attacking player from Rio de Janeiro.
Coutinho also puzzles Rummenigge
In Munich, however, they were still looking for a big name. FC Bayern loaned Coutinho out in the summer of 2019 for a whopping 8.5 million euros, partly because rivals Dortmund had made big purchases (Schulz, Brandt, Hazard, Hummels). Sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic wrapped up the show transfer in warm words, describing Coutinho as a “world-class player”, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge added: “We have been looking into Philippe Coutinho for some time and are very happy that we have now been able to realise this transfer. Our thanks go to FC Barcelona for agreeing to this transfer.”
But it was FC Barcelona who should have thanked him. A few months later, Rummenigge also sounded ‘a bit’ different. “He has played some games well and in some games he gives the impression of being a bit inhibited,” Rummenigge explained in February 2020. “I don’t know why that is. “
In the summer of 2020, Rummenigge thanked him again – when Coutinho left. The FCB understandably did not pull the purchase option of 120 million euros, justifying this in part with the Corona pandemic, the salary structure or the injury misfortune that had befallen the Brazilian during his time in Munich. But despite the triple victory, there would have been no plausible reasons to tie the sensitive soul to Munich in the long term, even though the Catalans were said to have made concessions to Bayern. In 38 competitive games, he scored eleven goals and provided nine assists, and scored three points as a substitute in the 8:2 win over FC Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-finals.
An omen? Would Coutinho’s second spell with the Catalans see him once again become the player that the Liverpool crowds fell at his feet for? They just couldn’t give up hope at Barcelona. After a completely used season with many injuries and only twelve league games (two goals), Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann had left in the summer of 2021, and Luis Suarez had already been gone for a year. But Coutinho was still there. Not least because Barça simply couldn’t find a buyer for the top earner.
For Coutinho, it was a huge opportunity to fill the vacuum, to work his magic again. When he scored his first goal of the season in a 3-1 win over Valencia in October 2021, then-coach Ronald Koeman said: “From day one, I have always believed in Coutinho. Little by little he will regain his quality. “
Meanwhile, Koeman is gone, as is Coutinho, as Xavi didn’t really try the 29-year-old in the first place. On loan until the end of the season to Aston Villa, 13th in the Premier League. “Barcelona are ridding themselves of Coutinho,” wrote the Marca. His contract there runs until the summer of 2023, and unsurprisingly the contract also includes an option to buy – for 40 million euros.
“You don’t get the nickname ‘The Magician’ if you’re not a special footballer,” Gerrard said in the official statement upon Coutinho’s transfer. At least the former Liverpool captain can remember why Coutinho was once given it in the first place.
