Coutinho joins Santos as a free agent and will wear the number 11 jersey.

Santos announced in a statement on Monday that Brazilian midfielder Filipe Coutinho has joined the club on a free transfer. He will play for Santos in the Brazilian Serie A on a contract until December 31, 2026.

The official announcement also confirmed that Coutinho will wear the number 11 jersey at Santos.

Since terminating his contract with Vasco da Gama in February, Coutinho has been unemployed. His move to Santos to reunite with Neymar marks his return to professional football after a seven-month hiatus.

Coutinho also made it clear at the signing ceremony that Neymar played a key role in his transfer to Santos: "Neymar has undoubtedly played an important role in my life. He is a star player who needs no introduction, and also a friend I've known since childhood. When I left Vasco, he was the first person in the football world to send me a message. He contacted me the day after I left. I replied that it would be great to play alongside him, but the circumstances didn't allow it at the time. I wasn't in good form, and I felt it wasn't appropriate. A few months later, he contacted me again, and my answer was the same. Two weeks ago, he sent another message, and I finally changed my mind."

“I’ve always longed to return to the pitch. I’m going to another city to join a top club. It wouldn’t be fair to me if I couldn’t get back to work. I want to thank President Marcelo Teixeira, Matos, and Neymar for the invitation. I’m happy to accept this challenge.”

"I have always loved football. There was a time when I lost that love. Everyone needs a goal, a meaning, and I lost it for a while. However, during my time away from the pitch, I rediscovered the simple initial motivation that led me to join Santos. Being able to rediscover joy is my motivation. I always play football because of my love for it. Being able to play alongside so many superstars at a top club is what keeps me going."

The 34-year-old Coutinho came through the Vasco da Gama youth academy and made his professional debut for the Brazilian Serie B first team on June 20, 2009. He subsequently played for Inter Milan, Espanyol, Liverpool, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Aston Villa, and Al-Duhail, before returning to Vasco da Gama in July 2024.

Injuries, tactical limitations, and other factors have hampered Coutinho's club career, preventing it from progressing as smoothly as expected. Nevertheless, his career to date boasts one Italian Cup, one Italian Super Cup, two La Liga titles, one Copa del Rey, one Spanish Super Cup, one Champions League title, one Bundesliga title, and one German Cup.

At the national team level, Coutinho has also made significant achievements. He represented Brazil in three Copa America tournaments (2015, 2016, 2019) and one World Cup (2018), winning the 2019 Copa America title.

Image source: Internet/X