Over eight years have passed since Barcelona signed Philippe Coutinho, bringing the Liverpool star in to boost the attack following Neymar's PSG move. Now, the two are reuniting, with Coutinho joining Brazilian side Santos on Monday. Santos are currently tenth in the Série A.
Coutinho's time with Barcelona was famously disappointing. While the Brazilian was far from horrible and even recorded 16 G/A in 22 games in his first season with the club, he did not live up to his lofty price tag, reported to be €160m. He was one of many disappointing signings, along with Antoine Griezmann and Ousmané Dembélé, that led to Barcelona's brief but dramatic fall from grace.
Coutinho returned to Barcelona in 2020 after his infamous Bayern loan spell, but managed just 30 games over two seasons. In January 2022, he moved to Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa and even scored a late equalizer in a 2-2 draw with Manchester United on his debut. Gerrard was soon sacked, and the Brazilian fell out of favor with Unai Emery and joined Al-Duhail on loan.
After a brief loan in Qatar, Coutinho returned to Brazil, joining his boyhood club Vasco da Gama. The attacking midfielder put up solid numbers in his two seasons with Vasco, but did not appease the fans. After being heavily booed at home in February, Coutinho requested the termination of his contract because of the pressure and exhaustion. He's been a free agent since then.
Similarly, Neymar has not had the easiest time back in Brazil. The Brazilian enjoyed a successful but injury-ridden spell with PSG after leaving Barcelona before making a big-money move to Saudi Arabia. Injuries have continued to be a massive problem. He played just seven games with Al-Hilal, scoring one goal and recording two assists, before terminating his contract in January 2025.
He returned that same month to his boyhood club, Santos, helping the club avoid relegation. Still, he's had his ups and downs, being booed by his own fans and dropping some controversial responses. The veteran has frequently clashed, verbally or physically, with opposing fans and players, and even sometimes his own. He reportedly slapped 18-year-old teammate Robinho Jr. in practice after an altercation in May 2026.
Still, Neymar was part of Brazil's World Cup squad, scoring a late penalty with his final kick as his side was eliminated by Norway. Both Neymar and Coutinho still have the quality that they showed to varying degrees during their spells at Barcelona all those years ago. Now, they have to show it on the pitch together for one of Brazil's biggest clubs.
Fans will have to wait a little longer before seeing the stars back on the pitch together. Neymar is, once again, sidelined with an injury and will not return until October at the earliest. For the time being, Coutinho again has the unenviable task of replacing the Brazilian winger.
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