Coutinho joins Neymar at Santos for rest of season

Philippe Coutinho will play alongside Neymar at club level for the first time after signing for Santos until the end of the season.

The 34-year-old midfielder was a free agent. He had been without a club since leaving Vasco da Gama in February, according to BBC Sport.

Neymar broke the news himself on Saturday. Santos then confirmed the deal with its official announcement, 'Philippe Coutinho é do Santos FC', on 14 September, according to Santos FC.

It is a meeting of two of Brazil's most recognisable players of the past decade. Coutinho and Neymar have played together for Brazil. They have never been club team-mates until now.

Both men have gone home. Neymar returned to Santos, the club where he grew up as a player. Coutinho returned to Vasco, his own childhood club, in 2024 and made 81 appearances before leaving earlier this year.

For fans, this means a rare chance to watch them together week to week. Two playmakers in the same shirt. That will stir memories for Brazil supporters.

Coutinho started his career at Vasco before joining Inter Milan. He moved to Liverpool in 2013 and became a crowd favourite at Anfield, scoring 54 goals in 201 games.

That form earned him a £142m move to Barcelona in 2018. It was one of the biggest fees in football history. He later had spells with Bayern Munich, Aston Villa and Al-Duhail in Qatar before heading back to Vasco.

Santos have signed him on a free transfer, with no fee paid because he was out of contract. It is a short deal to the end of the season. Simple and low-risk.

He arrives to link up with Neymar at the Vila Belmiro. Santos will hope their understanding from international duty clicks quickly.