Steven Gerrard disregards Jamie Carragher's "problem" warning and opts for a Saudi move first.
Steven Gerrard is the latest former Premier League player to accept a position in Saudi Arabia, joining N'Golo Kante, Ruben Neves, and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Despite Jamie Carragher's stern advise, Steven Gerrard wants to make Philippe Coutinho his first signing as Al-Ettifaq manager.
Gerrard was named manager of the Saudi Pro League club after first declining the position a month earlier. "As things stand right now, I'm not going to take that offer," the Liverpool icon remarked in June, but he's now changed his mind.
Gerrard was one of the finest Premier League players of his generation, and his presence will entice big-name players to Al-Ettifaq. Coutinho is one player who might leave, with Aston Villa manager Unai Emery keen to offload the pricey Brazilian.
When Gerrard was in charge, Villa signed Coutinho, 31, on loan in January 2022. He performed admirably during his brief stint in the Premier League, scoring five goals and giving three assists, but has struggled since the transfer was made permanent a year ago.
Last season, the former Barcelona player scored just one Premier League goal for Villa, and Gerrard was fired in October. Emery, Gerrard's successor, favours Emi Buendia, John McGinn, and Jacob Ramsey in the No.10 position and could do without Coutinho.
Coutinho, a former Liverpool player, is Villa's biggest earner. Emery wants to free up his transfer money ahead of the West Midlands club's big season, which will see them compete in the Conference League after placing seventh in the Premier League last season.
Coutinho has three years left on his contract and, due to his pay, is unlikely to find another team in Europe. His most likely destination is Saudi Arabia, and Gerrard may be the ideal manager to bring out the best in the frequently spectacular Brazilian.
However, if Coutinho fails to impress at Al-Ettifaq, Gerrard cannot claim he was not warned. Coutinho was regarded as a "problem" by Carragher after his former Liverpool teammate Gerrard was fired by Villa.
"One of the big advantages of Stevie going to Aston Villa was that he could attract players that the previous manager couldn't because of his name and contacts," Carragher told Sky Sports News. "Getting Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona was a real coup."
"Obviously, things haven't gone well for him, but you'd think that if he could rediscover the ability we saw in a Liverpool or a Brazil shirt, he could be something special."
"He was the only attacking player he brought to Aston Villa, and that was the team's biggest problem; they didn't score enough goals." He was Stevie's man, but he didn't deliver. The Premier League is just a little too swift and forceful for him today; he wasn't the same Philippe Coutinho we saw three or four years ago."
Coutinho might be the latest high-profile player to join Saudi Arabia this summer, following Karim Benzema, N'Golo Kante, Ruben Neves, Edouard Mendy, and Kalidou Koulibaly. Cristiano Ronaldo has joined the team.
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