Philippe Coutinho’s dramatic departure from Liverpool was a turning point for him and the Reds. The Brazilian, once adored by the Anfield crowd, made an eye-watering move to Barcelona in 2018, drawn by the allure of winning “big titles” he felt weren’t achievable at Liverpool.
However, time paints a contrasting picture. As Liverpool lifts the 2024/25 Premier League trophy, Coutinho’s pronouncements from seven years prior resonate with a sting of irony. “I really want to win big titles,” he declared after signing for Barça. “It was one of the reasons that made me sign for the club. I want to win as many as I can.”
Coutinho’s exit sent tremors through Liverpool, stripping the squad of its playmaking linchpin during Jurgen Klopp’s and previously Brendan Rodgers’ tenures.
The return on his sale was substantial, but supporters fretted it would derail Liverpool’s ascendance. Ironically, the move propelled the team to greater heights.
By 2020, Liverpool had secured glory in Europe and in the Premier League, feats partially funded by Coutinho’s hefty transfer fee. That capital injection enabled the recruitment of core players such as Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker, and Fabinho, creating a solid back line that unleashed the likes of Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Andy Robertson to surge forward without hesitation.
Coutinho’s much-vaunted move to Spain fell short of expectations as he struggled to find a stable role in Barcelona’s team, making just 106 appearances over nearly five years – a far cry from his time as a pivotal player for Liverpool.
He spent time on loan at Bayern Munich where he failed to make a lasting impact, leading the German giants to pass on a permanent deal. Subsequent stints at Aston Villa, Qatari club Al-Duhail, and Brazilian team Vasco da Gama offered sporadic flashes of brilliance but little consistency.
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Plagued by injuries and variable form, Coutinho, now 32, finds his career contrasting starkly with the trajectory of Liverpool, who have amassed eight major honours since his departure, including another league title that underscores their unyielding ambition – an ambition Coutinho perhaps underestimated.
His stint serves as a cautionary tale that success is not guaranteed beyond Anfield’s borders. Yet, Coutinho harbours “no regrets” regarding his decisions.
Speaking to Premier League Stories earlier this month, he expressed his contentment: “I had this dream to play for Barcelona. Then the opportunity presented itself and I couldn’t say no to my dream,” he declared.
“I have no regrets about everything I experienced, all the places I’ve been. I gave my all, was very professional and tried to do my best. It worked out well at some clubs, while not so much at others. But that’s football. But I don’t have any regrets, only thanks and gratitude for every club I’ve been at.”
