Former Vasco man Philippe Coutinho could join Santos | OneFootball

One of the most iconic partnerships to come out of Brazilian football’s youth ranks could have a surprising ending on the coast of São Paulo. Santos has opened direct talks to sign midfielder Philippe Coutinho, who has been without a club since agreeing to terminate his contract with Vasco in February. The move comes in response to an explicit request from Neymar, the current No. 10 of Peixe, who posted on social media describing the signing of his close friend as a true dream for a squad that already includes Gabriel Barbosa, known as Gabigol, and defensive midfielder Arthur. The information was revealed by journalist Lucas Musetti.

The 33-year-old midfielder has not played since the win over Volta Redonda in the Campeonato Carioca quarterfinals at the start of the season. On that occasion, after being substituted at halftime amid heavy boos from the stands, the player did not even return to the bench and informed president Pedrinho of his decision to end his second spell at São Januário, going against the appeals of then-coach Fernando Diniz, who tried to talk him out of it.

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Mental strain and numbers from his second spell

The mutual termination was made official through an emotional public letter, in which the player opened up about the emotional exhaustion he had built up and stressed that he chose not to return from the locker room in that match to protect his mental health. The playmaker ended his second spell with Vasco with 81 matches, 17 goals, seven assists, and the technical leadership that guided the team to the 2025 Copa do Brasil final.

When saying goodbye to the club where he came through the ranks, the player emphasized that his emotional bond with the institution would remain unchanged, explaining that his decision to take a step back stemmed exclusively from the psychological exhaustion caused by outside pressure and the judgment he had faced.

Coutinho scoring his last goal for Vasco – Photo: Matheus Lima/Vasco

Risk of leaving a stain on his history with Vasco

From a professional standpoint, the progress in talks with the São Paulo club over a short-term deal until the end of 2026 is seen behind the scenes in the press as a risky move for the player’s legacy. Seen as one of Vasco’s greatest academy products since 2009, his return to Brazilian football had been celebrated under the banner of exclusivity and unconditional love for the club that launched him to powerhouses such as Liverpool, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich.

The possibility of seeing him wear the shirt of another major domestic rival just seven months after citing mental exhaustion to leave Rio de Janeiro carries the weight of a potential stain on the supporters’ emotional memory. Vasco is watching the situation without interfering, aware that a positive outcome at Vila Belmiro would shake the unquestioned idol status built by the former No. 10 among Vasco supporters in the stands.

Coutinho could tarnish his image with Vasco fans – Photo: Jota Erre/AGIF

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.