Former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho returning home to his boyhood club

Former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho is returning home to his boyhood club. It’s been a career that promised so much more.

Philippe Coutinho is to return to Vasco da Gama, according to Globo Esporte. All that remains is the termination of his Aston Villa contract - a contract signed back in 2022.

That was when Steven Gerrard was manager at Villa. He signed Coutinho almost immediately, bringing him in on loan from Barcelona.

It was to spectacular effect - initially, anyway. Coutinho scored on his debut in a 2-2 draw against Manchester United and produced another four goals before the end of the season. That prompted Villa to sign him permanently.

Just one goal in 24 games brought about a loan to Qatari side Al-Duhail last season. Now the Midlands side are looking to let Coutinho go - bringing another disappointing spell to a close.

Now he'll return to Vasco da Game - his boyhood club and the place he initially earned his move to European football.

Philippe Coutinho

Coutinho's career couldn't have looked much brighter back in 2017. He was the star at Liverpool, thriving under Jurgen Klopp as a two-time winner of the Reds' Player of the Season award.

He tried to force a move to Barcelona that summer but failed. The first-half of the 2017/18 campaign then saw Coutinho produce the finest football of his career and he was unquestionably one of the world's best players.

In 19 games across the Premier League and Champions League, Coutinho scored 12 and assisted another eight. His form was so good that it prompted Barcelona to pay a ridiculous £142m to sign him in January.

Liverpool would use that money to build a Champions League and Premier League-winning squad. Barcelona would flounder, with Coutinho struggling to find a place in the side before winning the Champions League on loan at Bayern Munich.

His career has been heading downhill ever since leaving Liverpool. Instead of heading back to Brazil as a truly legendary player, he does it as a forgotten entity in European football.