Philippe Coutinho May Secure a Deadline Day Escape To Saudi Arabia

Another former Liverpool player is being linked with a move to Saudi Arabia. 31-year-old Philippe Coutinho has fallen down the pecking order at Aston Villa under Manager Unai Emery. Having secured a loan (later made permanent) move from Barcelona last summer, the Brazilian playmaker has seen Nicolo Zaniolo and Moussa Diaby preferred instead. 

In the opening two matches of the season, he’s come off the bench in both games with a total of 24 minutes on the pitch. Al Duhail hope to secure his services before the transfer window closes at midnight. 

Coutinho also attracted interest from Real  Betis in Spain and Besiktas in Turkey, but both projects failed to appeal to him. According to reputable reports, Coutinho and Al Duhail agreed personal terms a week later and are only waiting for the two clubs to reach an agreement. 

The Brazilian playmaker has had a stellar career at top clubs like Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Liverpool. He’s a Champions League winner and commanded a transfer fee of €145M for Barcelona to pry him away from Anfield. In his most prolific Liverpool season, he managed 13 goals and seven assists in the 2016/17 season. It will be interesting to see whether Saudi Arabia proves to be the change his career needs at this stage.