Philippe Coutinho Signs Barcelona Contract at Camp Nou Unveiling
Philippe Coutinho was confirmed as a Barcelona player at the Camp Nou on Monday following his £142 million move from Liverpool.
The two clubs struck an agreement on Saturday, before the formalities were concluded in Catalonia.
Omnisport relayed an image of the player signing his deal alongside club president Josep Maria Bartomeu:
On Sunday, the 25-year-old was snapped wearing Barcelona clothing, as he was given a tour of the Camp Nou:
Barcelona also posted the following footage of the midfielder's first day at the club:
The supporters will have to wait to see Coutinho in action, though, as Barcelona confirmed on their official website he is set to be out for three weeks with a thigh problem.
Coutinho's transfer fee is the second-highest-ever paid for a football player, with only Paris Saint-Germain's signing of Neymar more lucrative.
The move finally went through after a period of prolonged interest from the Blaugrana. In the summer, after the Brazilian handed in a transfer request to Liverpool, Barcelona saw three bids rejected for the playmaker.
Speculation about a January move continued throughout the season, and while Barca and Coutinho have had to wait a little longer to complete a deal, both parties will be delighted.
As we can see below per Goal, the Brazilian has said he will be playing alongside some of his football heroes at the Camp Nou:
Indeed, according to Paul Joyce of the Sunday Times, so desperate was Coutinho to make the switch to Barcelona he put forward £11.5 million of his own money towards the deal.
The challenge for Coutinho will be to reach the levels regularly scaled by the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta.
There have been signs this season he has the natural talent to do so, as the midfielder has been at the hub of a vibrant Liverpool attack.
As noted by OptaJean, the player is capable of conjuring special moments:
There's more to Coutinho's game than hammering the ball home from distance, though, as wonderful an attribute as that is to have.
Some have suggested he can be a successor to Iniesta in Catalonia. Spanish football writer Colin Millar believes that process will begin quickly:
Barcelona are nine points clear at the top of La Liga, meaning there'll be no immediate pressure on Coutinho to work wonders at his new club. Given he played in the UEFA Champions League for Liverpool, he will not be able to represent the Blaugrana in that competition.
But having earned his dream move, the midfielder will be desperate to hit the ground running.
