Philippe Coutinho is set to reunite with Neymar at Santos after agreeing a short-term deal with the Brazilian club until the end of the year.
The 34-year-old will join as a free agent and will undergo his medical on Friday. Santos moved for Coutinho after Neymar pushed the club to sign his long-time friend.
The reunion has been years in the making. Coutinho and Neymar first played together in Brazil’s youth ranks more than 15 years ago and later shared the pitch at Barcelona.
Neymar publicly backed the move and described the opportunity to play alongside Coutinho again as a dream. His influence also helped Santos bring in Arthur on a short-term deal.
Coutinho now gets another chance to play alongside Neymar on home soil.
However, the move carries a clear fitness question. Coutinho has not played a competitive match since February 14, when he appeared for Vasco da Gama against Volta Redonda in the Campeonato Carioca.
He left Vasco later that month after terminating his contract. Since then, he has maintained his fitness through individual training and ball work, but Santos must now assess how quickly he can return to competitive football.
The financial risk remains limited. Coutinho arrives without a transfer fee, while the short contract gives Santos an opportunity to assess his contribution before making longer-term plans.
For Coutinho, the move represents another chapter in a career that once made him one of the world’s most expensive players. Barcelona paid €160 million to sign him from Liverpool in January 2018.
His career has since taken him to Bayern Munich, Aston Villa, Al-Duhail and Vasco, with injuries and inconsistent form limiting his impact in recent years.
Santos, meanwhile, need immediate help. The club are fighting to secure their Serie A status, making Coutinho’s experience and creativity potentially valuable if he can regain his fitness.
The arrival also adds another familiar Brazilian name to a Santos squad that Neymar has helped reshape. Rodinei, Lima and Everton Cebolinha have joined the club after Santos resolved their transfer ban.
Coutinho’s medical will come first. If he passes, Santos will have completed a reunion that Neymar actively wanted and given the former Liverpool star another opportunity to show what remains of his old magic.
