Brazilian playmaker Philippe Coutinho, aged 31, has completed a season-long loan move to Qatar Stars League champions Al-Duhail from Aston Villa, as confirmed by the Premier League club on Friday.
Coutinho joined Villa on a permanent deal in 2022 but struggled to make a significant impact last season, managing just one league goal in 20 appearances.
This transfer to Al-Duhail comes after Coutinho’s previous stints with clubs like Liverpool, Inter Milan, and Barcelona. He had been signed by Barcelona for approximately £142 million in 2018, marking the third most expensive transfer in soccer history.
Coutinho, with 21 goals in 68 international appearances, has not represented Brazil since scoring in a 5-1 victory against South Korea in June of the previous year.
Al-Duhail, under the management of 48-year-old Argentine Hernan Crespo, currently occupy the third position in the Qatar Stars League, trailing league leaders Al-Rayyan by just two points.