He could have seen himself wrestling with the top boys for the annual Ballon d'Or Award if he had denied the big money move (estimated euro 160 million) to FC Barcelona from Liverpool in 2017.
Philippe Coutinho, 30, had a shining start in his early days for Italian giants, Inter Milan, before sealing a move to the Merseyside club in 2013, for an estimated euro 8 million.
The Brazilian was quick, tricky, skillful and super deadly not only in front of goal, but he was a nightmare for defenders and goalkeepers even from a distance. Naturally a right-footed attacking midfielder, Coutinho, who is also popularly known as the 'Magician' in world football, was a master with his left foot and could play in any given attacking role.
He was one of the best signings former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers had made during his tenure at the club, and Coutinho didn't take long to adapt to the English game, and although he did not pocket as many goals as expected, he remained a key player in the Liverpool squad ever since joining them.
Bossing the midfield, especially sprinting upfront and playing a crucial role in Liverpool's goals was one of Coutinho's trademark. What more can you expect from a Brazilian player who had it all? He was literally on cloud nine on his heydays for Liverpool, and he only matured and became increasingly important for the squad as days went on.
In the 2013/2014 top-flight season, Liverpool went very close to ending their 30-year wait for the English Premier League title, in which the fire was rekindled from the start of the season, only to see it re-extinguished right at the end as Manchester City nicked it with a 2-point difference. Coutinho was a major part of the short-lived triumph, joining the then star-studded squad which consists of the likes of Steven Gerrard, Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and others.
When Klopp took over and transformed Liverpool into a heavyweight European team, a title very familiar for them many years ago, the German had the opportunity to work with Coutinho and continued to start him in matches and regarded him as a crucial asset to the club.
During Klopp's early managerial start at Liverpool, Coutinho proved his caliber and scored twice in Liverpool's famous 4-3 victory over bitter rivals, Arsenal in the 2016/2017 season. One was a simple tap in but the other was a stunning free-kick from outside the box.
Despite having signed a five-year contract with the Merseyside club with no release clause which would keep him at the club until 2022, the Brazilian already started attracting interest from Spanish giant, Barcelona.
Although talks were held, Liverpool rejected Barca's initial bids until a bigger sum was put on the table, and the deal was agreed in early 2018.
As a Liverpool fan, it was really hard to see him depart, especially for being such a key member of the squad, scoring wonders and making headlines in countless games. Reality had hit us, the fans, really hard.
Klopp sent out a reminder to the lad, saying that if he stays, a statue will be built for him, but none of those words helped him stay. Coutinho, during his spell at Liverpool, scored 54 goals in all competitions.
Playing for FC Barcelona or Real Madrid is a dream for any player, but question is, do you see yourself fitting into such a competitive dressing room? Coutinho was tipped as a top player at Liverpool and was a regular started, but it was never the case at Barcelona when he had the likes of Rakitic, Sergio Busquets and others biting on his neck for a start.
At Barcelona, the Brazilian netted only 17 goals in all competitions, and when loaned to FC Bayern Munich in the 2019/2020 season, he scored 8 goals for the German club. The statistics have clearly indicated that Coutinho struggled to find his top form, only to see himself loaned out to Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Aston Villa that is currently being managed by a former Red, ex-Liverpool talisman, Steven Gerrard, grasped the opportunity and has landed Coutinho.
Gerrard, as claimed, has always been a top fan of Coutinho as both have played alongside during their days at Liverpool, and he has regarded the Brazilian as a true 'Magician', and that the title is not one that any player can attain.
The English Premier League will look set to welcome the former Liverpool number 10 to Villa Park when Aston Villa hosts Manchester United this weekend. Even if Coutinho doesn't start the match, which very likely he might not, I hope he will at least be on the bench and be given some minutes in the later part of the game.
Defenders, be scared, be real scared.
