03 July 2023 , 17:25
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Steven Gerrard wants to make Philippe Coutinho his first signing as Al-Ettifaq boss - despite Jamie Carragher's stark advice.
Gerrard was announced as the new manager of the Saudi Pro League club, despite initially rejecting the job a month ago. "As we stand right now, I won’t be taking that offer up," said the Liverpool legend in June, but he's since changed his mind.
Gerrard was one of the greatest Premier League players of his generation and will attract big names to Al-Ettifaq. One player who could make the move is Coutinho, with Aston Villa manager Unai Emery looking to get the expensive Brazilian off his books.
Villa signed Coutinho, 31, on loan in January 2022 when Gerrard was in charge. He impressed during that temporary spell - scoring five goals and providing three assists in the Premier League - but has struggled since the move was made permanent a year ago.
The former Barcelona star scored just a single Premier League goal for Villa last season, with Gerrard losing his job in October. Gerrard's successor Emery prefers Emi Buendia, John McGinn and Jacob Ramsey in the No.10 role and could do with selling Coutinho.
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Ex-Liverpool star Coutinho is Villa's highest earner. Emery wants to free up his transfer budget ahead of a big campaign for the West Midlands club, which will see them compete in the Conference League after finishing seventh in the Premier League last term.
Jamie Carragher criticised Coutinho after Gerrard was sacked by Aston Villa in October (Getty Images)Do you think Steven Gerrard should sign Philippe Coutinho again? Let us know in the comments below!
Coutinho still has three years left on his contract and is unlikely to find another club in Europe due to his salary. His most realistic transfer is to Saudi Arabia - and Gerrard could be the perfect manager to get the best out of the often brilliant Brazilian.
Yet if Coutinho flops at Al-Ettifaq, Gerrard can't say he wasn't warned. Carragher described Coutinho as a "problem" after his former Liverpool team-mate Gerrard was sacked by Villa.
"That was one of the big plus points of Stevie going to Aston Villa - he could attract players that the manager before couldn't due to his name and his contacts," Carragher told Sky Sports News. "Philippe Coutinho was a real standout, getting him from Barcelona.
"Obviously it hasn't gone well for him but you would think, if he could reignite the ability we saw in a Liverpool shirt or a Brazil shirt, it could be really special.
"He was the one attacking player he brought to Aston Villa and that was the big problem for the team, they didn't score enough goals. He was Stevie's man and he didn't produce. The Premier League for him now is just a bit too quick and too powerful, it certainly wasn't the same Philippe Coutinho we saw three or four years ago."
Coutinho could be the latest big-name player to make the switch to Saudi Arabia this summer after Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, Ruben Neves, Edouard Mendy and Kalidou Koulibaly. Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr in January.