The Brazillian is on his third loan stint in five years.

Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho has joined Qatari side Al Duhail on a season-long loan from his club Aston Villa, the clubs announced on Friday.

The 31-year-old joined Aston Villa after completing a successful stint in Inter Milan and Liverpool and a disastrous time at Barcelona.

The Brazillian international has suffered from injuries and tactics that don’t suit his style. When he finally joined Villa on a permanent deal in 2022, he failed to make an impact, only scoring one goal from 20 appearances.

Yet, he is the third most expensive player in history, with his previous move to Barcelona costing £142 million.

Coutinho has scored 21 goals in 68 internationals but has not played for Brazil since netting in a 5-1 win over South Korea in June last year.

He is planning to join the legendary Argentine player and coach Hernan Crespo, whose side Al Duhail is third in the Qatar Stars League, two points behind leaders Al Rayyan.

Who is Coutinho?

Coming up with the golden generation of talents like Neymar and Oscar, Coutinho excelled in Vasco da Gama’s youth system.

He was signed by Serie A club Inter Milan in 2008 for €4 million and subsequently loaned back to Vasco, where he became a key player. He made his debut for Inter Milan in 2010 and was later loaned to La Liga club Espanyol in 2012 where he continued to have successful stints.

In January 2013, Coutinho joined Premier League club Liverpool. He flourished at Liverpool, being named in the PFA Team of the Year in 2015. He later formed a formidable attacking quartet with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Sadio Mané.

In January 2018, Coutinho signed for Barcelona and won two La Liga titles with the club, but his individual performance was underwhelming. He was loaned to German club Bayern Munich for the 2019–20 season, being part of the team that won a treble, including the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and UEFA Champions League.

Due to his dribbling ability, pace and agility, he has been compared to Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho by his former Espanyol manager Mauricio Pochettino, who also said, “Philippe… he has a special magic in his feet.”

Coutinho’s elite vision and passing ability earned him the nickname “Little Magician” by Liverpool fans, and his precocious ability has also led his team’s supporters to give him the nickname “The Kid.”

Although naturally right-footed, Coutinho is capable of playing with both feet and can strike the ball particularly well from distance. He has a penchant for scoring from curling shots with his right foot from just outside or well outside the penalty area, especially after cutting inside from the left flank and placing the ball into the top corner of the goal.