Philippe Coutinho completes Santos move to reunite with Neymar

Philippe Coutinho has signed for Santos on a free transfer until the end of the season, setting up his first club partnership with former Brazil team-mate Neymar.

Santos confirmed the deal on Monday and released footage of Coutinho arriving at the dressing room, where he was welcomed by Neymar.

“If it’s a dream, I don’t want to wake up,” Neymar told Coutinho in the video.

The pair have played together for Brazil but have never previously represented the same club, making the move a notable reunion for the two former international team-mates.

Coutinho, 34, spent five years with Liverpool before joining Barcelona in January 2018. He won two La Liga titles during his time in Spain, but his spell at Barcelona did not coincide with Neymar’s time at the club.

Neymar left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in August 2017, several months before Coutinho arrived at the Catalan club.

Coutinho returned to his boyhood club Vasco da Gama in 2024, but departed in February this year. He has not played for Brazil since March 2022.

Neymar rejoined Santos last year after spells in European football and Saudi Arabia. He subsequently announced his retirement from international football after Brazil were eliminated from the World Cup in July.