This loss marked the worst defeat of Neymar’s career, a devastating blow as Santos continue their fight to avoid relegation. The No. 10 left the field in tears and had to be consoled by head coach Fernando Diniz. To make matters worse, Neymar picked up his third yellow card of the season, which rules him out of the next match against Bahia.

Santos now sit on 21 points in 15th place, slipping dangerously close to the relegation zone. The result also had immediate consequences off the field, as head coach Cleber Xavier was dismissed by the club’s board right after the final whistle.

What Neymar said after the match

After the game, Neymar did not hide his frustration. “I’m embarrassed. I’m totally disappointed with our performance,” he told reporters. “The fans have every right to protest, obviously without violence… But if they want to curse and insult us, they are in their right.”

“It’s an extreme shame. I had never experienced something like this in my life. Unfortunately, it happened,” he continued. Asked about his tears, Neymar admitted: “The tears were from anger, from everything. Unfortunately, I can’t help at all. Honestly, it was total crap — that’s the reality.”

Neymar’s worst defeats in his career

Since turning professional in 2009 under head coach Vagner Mancini, Neymar has worn the shirts of Santos, Barcelona, PSG, Al Hilal and the Brazil national team. Until now, the heaviest defeat he had experienced was 4-0, which happened twice.

The first came with Santos in the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup final against Barcelona. More than five years later, while at Barcelona, Neymar was on the pitch for a Champions League 4-0 defeat to PSG.

Beyond those, all other losses in his career came by narrower margins. Some may point to Brazil’s infamous 7-1 World Cup semifinal defeat to Germany in 2014, but Neymar did not play in that match. Despite being the centerpiece of that Brazil team, he had been ruled out after suffering an injury in the quarterfinal against Colombia.

Many players fell short of expectations at Camp Nou, but it’s safe to say the most expensive flop was Philippe Coutinho. The Cules forked out €150 million to get him from Liverpool in January 2018. At the beginning, it looked like he just needed time to play like he did at Anfield.

According to Transfermarkt, Coutinho’s stock was still high in his first months at Barca. In October 2018, he was worth €150m. Flash-forward to 2023, his market value is just €10 million.

The rise and fall of Philippe Coutinho

Now it’s easy to say Barcelona were crazy to spend so much for Coutinho, considering how things turned out. But back in January 2018, it made sense to break the bank for the Brazilian.

Before joining the LaLiga giants, Coutinho was enjoying a wonderful time in Merseyside. He was by far the most important player in the Reds’ squad, as he set the tempo of the game, pulled the strings in the middle of the park and found ways to get on the scoresheet.

Coutinho could shoot from anywhere and was practically unstoppable with the ball on his feet. Though Liverpool were already making progress under Jurgen Klopp, teaming up with the likes of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez seemed to be the perfect opportunity for him.

Though he didn’t make an immediate impact, Coutinho recorded seven goals and six assists in 18 LaLiga games to help Barca secure the title. But in the following season he left a lot to be desired.

Coutinho struggled for consistency after leaving Liverpool

With only five goals and two assists in 34 league games, the Rio de Janeiro-born player failed to establish himself in the lineup. In the summer of 2019, Barcelona sent him to Bayern Munich on a season-long loan. His time in Germany wasn’t great, but curiously, Coutinho scored against the Catalans in the infamous 8-2 Champions League quarterfinal.

The Vasco da Gama product returned to Spain in 2020, but didn’t seize his second chance at the club. In January 2022, Coutinho joined Aston Villa on loan at the request of former Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard. The Villains made the move permanent six months later, but his level went downhill.

Gerrard was fired in October 2022, and Coutinho’s playing time plummeted under Unai Emery. In the summer, the English side sent the Brazilian on loan to Qatari outfit Al-Duhail SC. The 31-year-old’s market value has been in free fall since October 2018, and it doesn’t look like that will change.

However, nothing went according to plan. The Brazilian international looked like a shell of himself at Camp Nou, and he struggled to play at his best since then. Coutinho eventually had another chance in England, but it looks like it’s already gone.

The midfielder dropped in Unai Emery’s pecking order at Aston Villa, which is why his future seems to be outside Birmingham. In fact, his next club would not even be in Europe.

Rumor: Coutinho could join Al Ettifaq

According to 90min, Steven Gerrard wants to recruit Philippe Coutinho for Al Ettifaq. The Liverpool legend knows the Brazilian from his playing days at Anfield and also from his short stint as the Villans coach.

Unlike other rivals, the Saudi Arabian side lacks household names on their squad. Therefore, going after a big name like Coutinho would make sense. Even if he’s not at the best stage of his career, he would still give the club a huge boost.

The 31-year-old is under contract at Aston Villa until 2026, but his lack of playing time suggests he could be moved before then.

Some of the most notable transactions that have taken place in the winter are Pierre Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund to Arsenal in the winter of 2018 for a fee in the 64-million-euro range. Then there was Chelsea’s Oscar who was sold to Shanghai Port in 2017 for 60 million euros.

So, who are the top 5 most expensive winter signings? We will count them down, one of the players will be very familiar and that USMNT star comes in at number 5.

5. Christian Pulisic – Borussia Dortmund to Chelsea 2019 – 64 million euros

The American superstar was bought in the winter of 2019, the talented winger is still at Chelsea and is starting to gain starting minutes and has played 135 games and scored 26 goals. Pulisic has won a UEFA Champions League and Club World Cup with The Blues.

4. Aymeric Laporte – Athletic Bilbao to Manchester City 2018 – 65 million euros

The Manchester City defender was purchased in the winter of 2018 and has played over 100 matches for City. In five and a half years Laporte has played 164 games and has scored 12 goals for the club winning nine championships.

3. Dušan Vlahović – Fiorentina to Juventus 2022 – 82 million euros

It was one of the transfer sagas of 2022, where Serbian striker Dušan Vlahović was going to play? His scoring talent at Fiorentina demanded a major move and after interest from Premier League teams it was Juventus that finally got Dušan Vlahović. In only one year the Serbian has 16 goals in 36 matches.

2. Virgil van Dijk – Southampton to Liverpool 2018 – 85 million euros

The Netherlands defender was playing out of this world at Southampton and considered by many to be one of the best centre backs in the world. In 2018 Virgil van Dijk became a Red in the winter and has played 204 games and scored 18 goals.

1. Philippe Coutinho – Barcelona to Aston Villa 2022 – 135 million euros

Stuck on a Barcelona side that was riddled with debt and frankly did not want the Brazilian anymore after a loan spell at Bayern Munich it was Premier League side Aston Villa that made the big move. 135 million euros was paid for Philippe Coutinho in 2022 and the returns have been lukewarm 5 goals in only 32 matches.

In 2018, Barcelona paid a $160 million fee for Philippe Coutinhoas the second-most expensive transfer in history at that time. Unfortunately, the midfielder’s tenure with the Spanish club was one of the biggest disappointments ever and only one year later he went to Bayern Munich on a loan. Though the German club won it all (Champions League, Bundesliga and DFB Pokal), Coutinho wasn’t the same player of old.

Philippe Coutinho returned to Barcelona in the summer of 2020, because manager Ronald Koeman wanted him as a cornerstone in his project. Nevertheless, a knee injury on December left him out for the rest of the season. On January 2022, Coutinho was loaned to Aston Villa and, after a very solid semester in the Premier League, the club paid a $20 million fee to retain him.

Why is Philippe Coutinho missing the Qatar 2022 World Cup?

After his impressive performances as a youngster with Vasco da Gama and his arrival to Inter Milan, Philippe Coutinho made his debut for the National Team in 2010. He played in the 2018 World Cup at Russia scoring two goals and also was a participant in three Copa America (2015, 2016 and 2019).

However, especially in the last few years, the midfielder has just not lived up to the expectations at the club level. At 30-years old, Qatar 2022 was supposed to be the pinnacle of his career. Unfortunately, a recentquadinjuryhas left him out for six weeks and Coutinho simply wouldn’t have the chance to compete.This season, he’s played 12 games for Aston Villa in the Premier League but hasn’t scored a goal.

At the same time, Brazil’s talent at the position is way beyond the actual performances by Coutinho with names such as Neymar, Vinicius Jr or Raphinha. “The World Cup is a dream for any player and despite not being there, I will be with my heart and soul cheering like all Brazilians. I have a lot of gratitude to GOD and the team’s staff for having been part of this journey. As you know, I had an injury that kept me off the pitch for a few weeks. Thank you for all the positive messages I’ve been receiving.With positivity and faith I look forward on recovering in the best way and coming back stronger”, was Coutinho’s message after Brazil’s announcement.

Then there is USMNT star Brenden Aaronson who is on his way to Leeds United and Coutinho is sticking around Aston Villa as well.

Of the top 10 summer transfers so far four are players staying or heading to the Premier League. Here is a breakdown of the top 10 summer transfers so far.

10 top summer transfers as per Transfermarkt

At number 10 we have Coutinho who finalized his move to Aston Villa from Barcelona at 20 million euros. Defender Nico Schlotterbeck is one of two major pick up ‘s by Borussia Dortmund also at 20 million euros.

Jérémie Boga of the Ivory Coast will continue his career in Serie A at Atalanta from Sassuolo for a confirmed 22 million euros. Joaquín Correa made his move to Inter Milan permanent as the forward was sold for 23.6 million euros.

Karim Adeyemi move to Borussia Dortmund in May for a reported 30 million euros from Red Bull Salzburg in Austria. Sevilla defender Diego Carlos is trading Spain for England as he was sold to Aston Villa for 31 million euros.

USMNT attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson was one of the biggest transfers in the summer at 32.8 million euros moving from Austria to Leeds United. While young left back Nuno Mendes made his PSG loan permanent with a 38-million-euro price tag.

Federico Chiesa was another player that made his move a permanent one with a 40 million euro transfer from Fiorentina to Juventus. Then the top transfer of the summer so far is Erling Haaland, finally leaving Germany for the bright lights of Manchester City at 75 million euros.

The arrival of Liverpool idol Steven Gerrard as a first-team coach gave Aston Villa a new lease of life. The team improved its performance, and the players raised their level and which allowed the team to fight as equals against Liverpool and Manchester City. The latter was recorded on the last matchday of the Premier League when the team led by Gerrard scored two goals against the Citizens (they finally lost 3-2, and Manchester City became Premier League champions).

Aston Villa finished the season in 14th place in the league table, and Gerrard knows that for the team to qualify for international cups it needs high-quality players. That’s why the club’s officials have already signed up Philippe Coutinho, Boubacar Kamara, and Diego Carlos. However, Gerrard has his eye on signing an old Liverpool teammate of his to add both quality and hierarchy to Villa’s attack.

Which former star teammate could Gerrard sign?

According to The Telegraph, Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa are considering signing Luis Suarez. The English newspaper claims that the Uruguayan striker is a target of the English team. The 35-year-old did not renew his contract with Atletico Madrid and has become a free agent.

The player himself confessed to Cadena SER’s El Larguero that his wish is to continue playing in Europe as he has his mind set on the Qatar 2022 World Cup. And Aston Villa would give Suarez that chance. The Uruguayan would return to a league he already knows and would be managed by his former Liverpool teammate, Gerrard.

Gerrard played for Liverpool from 1998 to 2015, making 709 appearances and scoring 185 goals. For his part, Suarez played from 2011 to 2014 for the Reds, playing 133 games and scoring 82 goals.

And all indications are that the 41-year-old coach would be delighted to manage the striker. In an interview with Gary Neville on The Overlap, the Aston Villa manager was asked about the best player he played with in his career, and, without hesitation, he said:“I would say, Suarez, simply because he had everything and I mean, how long have you got to describe him?”.

He will earn £375,000 a week, plus incentives, after the striker’s buyout clause of €60 million was met, according to the club’s statement.When the 21-year-old prolific striker completes his move to England, he will be under a lot of pressure to live up to or maybe beyond the standards he set for himself in Germany.

Moreover, Manchester City supporters will be praying that he does not follow in the footsteps of other players who have crumbled under the weight of their astronomical transfer fees in the past. Take a look at some of the top players that cost more than€70 million but failed to justify their worth.

Eden Hazard to Real Madrid (€115m)

When Eden Hazard left Stamford Bridge after seven years, Chelsea supporters were upset, but they couldn’t deny the Belgian an opportunity to play under his hero, Cristiano Ronaldo, and for the club that had always been his favorite. However, Real Madrid have beenable to function without the injury-prone ace. After three seasons with the Whites, he is now 31 years old and has missed over half of the team’s games.

Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea (€113m)

Chelsea signed Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan in a club-recorddeal in August 2021 as Thomas Tuchel sought to remedy his striker crisis. However, the entrance of the Belgian only served to exacerbate their predicament. The interview inDecember 2021, in which he criticized Tuchel’s methods and stated his desire to return to Italy was certainlyill-advised.

Harry Maguire to Manchester United (€87m)

It is still a global record for clubs to pay €87 million for a defender.When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over as manager of Manchester United, he assigned Harry Maguirethe captain barely six months after arriving from Leicester. The England international hashad a horrible time at the Old Trafford, makingnumerous high-profile mistakes.

Kepa Arrizabalaga to Chelsea (€80m)

After selling Thibaut Courtois to Real Madrid late in the 2018 summer transfer window, Chelsea knew they would have to pay a high price to replace the Belgian goalkeeper. However, soon enough,Frank Lampard sacked Kepaafter a string of miscues in his debut season at the club, and the problem only got worse. The Blues eventually signed Edouard Mendy, therefore ending Kepa’s reign as the top pick.

Antoine Griezmann to Barcelona (€120m)

Lionel Messi’s dominance of Barcelona’s squad meant that Barcelona underestimated how much Antoine Griezmann could contribute, considering the Frenchman’s age at the time of his signing. After scoring 35 goals in 120 games, he was loaned back to Atletico Madrid for two years. The Frenchman’s loandeparture with no cost attached shows the Blaugrana’s careless approach to transfers.

Nicolas Pepeto Arsenal (€80m)

Arsenal’s all-time highestpurchase of Nicolas Pepe from Lille is the clearest evidence of the club’s disastrous recruiting approach.Due to the multi-year nature of the agreement, the Gunners arestill on the hook for the money they lost as a result of their expensive error. Under Mikel Arteta, Pepe has mostly been a spectator at the Emirates Stadium, with only brief bursts of brilliance.

Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona (€135m)

When Barcelona signed Coutinho,it was evident from the start that he would struggle to perform. He was plagued by ailments and inconsistency, resulting in the benching of Barca coaches Ernesto Valverde and Quique Setien. Then, Aston Villa took the risk to believe in the Brazilian, and they appear likely to finalize a deal for him this summer, which would mean a massive loss for Barcaon the playmaker.

The Brazilian star made a loan move to Villa Park in January after failing to turn up his game at Barcelona. Coutinho was given chances under Ronald Koeman but he never made the best of them, and when Xavi arrived he dropped in the pecking order.

The truth, however, is that he never lived up to the expectations that were around him when Barca splashed $148.50m to sign him from Liverpool. But now that he’s back in England, Coutinho is showing his talent again and Steven Gerrard explained the reasons behind his improvement.

Aston Villa boss Gerrard explains the reasons behind Coutinho’s performances

Aston Villa not only meant a greatoption for Coutinho to revitalizecareer but also to reunite with former Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard, who is now at the helm of the Villans.

“He was desperate to come back to the Premier League and we’ve given him everything he needs to go out there and perform,” Gerrard said, as quoted by The Athletic. Besides the player’s motivation, Gerrard believes Coutinho’s physical improvement has also allowed him to make an impression.

“The key thing was to get him up to speed from a physical point of view and we’re still working on that. He can get fitter and stronger and he will do with more training and games,” he said.

But Gerrard also says that Coutinho is happier now and that allows him to go out and deliver great performances.“Then it was about getting him enjoying his football again, being around the boys, smiling and looking forward to playing. You can see in his performance that he feels this is his stage again.”

Philippe Coutinho, who became Barca’s record signing for €160m in January 2018, has never lived up to the expectations around him and the club has been trying to find him a new destinationfor a long time.

According to ESPN, the former Liverpool star could finally leave Camp Nou this month as a number of Premier League teams have shown interest in Coutinho. And one English club could be ahead of the rest in the runfor the midfielder.

Report: Premier League clubs show interest in Barcelona’s Coutinho

Coutinho has struggled to seize on the opportunities he was given in Barcelona. Four years after his arrival at Camp Nou, he never looked like the player who shone in England. Even after a poor start to life under Ernesto Valverde, Ronald Koemangave him another chance, but his time at Barca could be up with Xavi at the helm.

The report from ESPN claims that teams in the Premier League are already inquiring about the possibility of landing Coutinho on loan. Aston Villaare reportedly one of those clubs, which could see a reunion of Coutinho with former Liverpool teammate Steven Gerrard, who took over at Villa Park this season. Spanish journalist Helena Condis Edo of COPE has also claimedthat The Villans are negotiating with Barcelona for a six-month loan of Coutinho.

Meanwhile, ESPN addsthat Everton are among the teams who are keeping tabs on the 29-year-old, but that there’s an ‘internal discussion’ between club owner Farhad Moshiri, who is keen on landing Coutinho, and The Toffees’ manager Rafael Benitez, who is reluctant to the idea of bringing him in.

However, the report notes that all talks are at ‘an early stage‘ and no clubs are ruled out yet. Where will Coutinho continue his career remains to be seen, but it looks like it could be away from Barcelona. The club intends to offload his expensive wage, while he’d like tofindmore playing time as the 2022 Qatar World Cup draws nearer.

Still many players from the Americas have left their mark in England. While this list compiles some of the most memorable players, it is important to consider we have taken into account longevity, importance for their club, and breaking down the walls.

We have left off current players like Christian Pulisic, Emiliano Martínez, and Raphinha as they are still playing in the Premier League and have many chapters to write in their careers. Here are the best players from the Americas to play in the Premier League. Note we are only taking into account players of thePremier League era.

Frank Yallop

Frank Yallop was a tough Canadian defender that played for Ipswich Town nearly his whole career, including in the Premier League. A rarity in the 1990’s a Canadian enjoying lengthy success at the topflight, a well deserving nod to Yallop who played over 300 games for Ipswich.

Paulo Wanchope

Costa Rican forward Paulo Wanchope broke through the walls in the Premier League for a Concacaf player. Wanchope had successful spells at Derby County, West Ham United, and Manchester City.

Willian

Attacking winger Willian is more known for his time at Chelsea than Arsenal. The Brazilian played for Chelsea from 2013-2020 playing in over 200 games and winning 5 titles at the club.

Gilberto Silva

Defense is also important and for a Brazilian to be known for defense twice as much. Gilberto Silva was a part of Arsenal’s undefeated season in 2003/04 and was known for being tough and classy in the defensive end.

Brian McBride

The Premier League has been home to many Americans but how many have a pub named after them at the stadium they used to call home? That honor goes to Brian McBride, who was a team leader, rock, and example during his time at Fulham. He also scored some nice goals too.

Nolberto Solano

The Peruvian flank player was all class at Newcastle United. Nolberto Solano played 172 games and scored 29 goals, Nul possessed a deadly free kick, and was amazing down the wing. Best known as a Newcastle United player, Solano also played three seasons with Aston Villa and one season at West Ham.

Kasey Keller

Goalkeepers get love as well; Kasey Keller was a standout player at Leicester City winning the League Cup in 1996-97. Keller would come back to England after a stint in Spain and Germany to play for Tottenham, Southampton, and Fulham.

Frank Sinclair

Jamaican defender Frank Sinclair played 11 seasons in the Premier League for two teams, Chelsea and Leicester City. Sinclair is more associated with Chelsea, but he had an amazing career for both clubs.

Javier Hernández

Javier Hernández had a lot of “what if” seasons at Manchester United, his numbers were not bad until he fell down the pecking order and injuries hampered his time. 37 goals in 103 games for ManU followed by a decent run at West Ham, 16 goals in 52 games. Chicharito won three titles in England.

Carlos Tevez

A bit up and down but when on, Carlos Tevez was amazing in the Premier League, more known for his work at Manchester City, Tevez was a mixed starter at Manchester United and came to the league and saved West Ham from relegation in his lone season at the club in 2007. Tevez won 9 titles in England.

Alexis Sanchez

Hot and cold forward Alexis Sanchez was hot at Arsenal and polar cold at Manchester United. Sanchez showed a lot of what led him to be considered one of the best in the world with the Gunners. At Manchester United, Sanchez showed a lot that frustrated pundits. It was a mixed bag for Sanchez.

Shaka Hislop

Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Shaka Hislop was a rock during his days in the Premier League. The now pundit on ESPN FC played 10 seasons in the Premier League and won the Intertoto Cup with West Ham in 1999. Shaka played for three clubs, Newcastle United, West Ham, and Portsmouth.

Juan Pablo Angel

Colombian forward Juan Pablo Angel came to the Premier League by way of River Plate in Argentina. Angel scored 44 goals in 175 games for Aston Villa and left a club legend to become a legend in MLS.

Javier Mascherano

A leader in the middle of the field, Javier Mascherano was the balance of the Liverpool attack and played 4 full seasons at Anfield. The Argentine, while world class, pushed to leave Liverpool after coming up short many times for silverware.

Brad Friedel

Ironman Brad Friedel fought for a long time to get a work permit and when he did, he showed his stuff at Liverpool, then over 250 times at Blackburn Rovers, 114 times at Aston Villa, and in his 40’s at Tottenham Hotspur. One of the best goalkeepers from the region to ever play in England. Friedel also scored a goal too!

Juninho

Classy but at times inconsistent midfielder Juninho played a vital role in the Middlesbrough attack in three stints. 27 goals in 126 games, Juninho finally won a cup with Brough in 2003–04, the Football League Cup.

David Luiz

People remember all the gaffs or nutmegs suffered, but we should also remember the rock that David Luiz was at Chelsea. In two stints David Luiz showed his muscle at the back, in total David Luiz played for Chelsea and Arsenal on his way to 8 titles in England.

Clint Dempsey

Christian Pulisic will have to prove it but until then Clint Dempsey is the greatest American import in Premier League history. “Deuce” played very well at Fulham, under many managers, and managers who tried to reduce his role, still the American fought hard and got back on the team sheet. Dempsey scored 50 goals in 189 games for Fulham. His time at Spurs was all but one season with a respectable 7 goals in 29 games. Dempsey’s Europa League goal against Juventus is stuff of legends.

Philippe Coutinho

Away from the Premier League Philippe Coutinho may be struggling at Barcelona but at Liverpool the Brazilian was money in the bank. 41 goals in 152 games, 2016/17 was a career year. A truly talented player who has 0 help at Barcelona, especially from a manager who can’t get anything out of him. For shame Xavi.

Gustavo Poyet

One of the few Uruguayan players to find success in the Premier League, Gustavo Poyet was a leader for Chelsea and Spurs during his years in England, winning 4 titles with Chelsea before that was ever even a norm.

Tim Howard

Athletic, strong, fast, Tim Howard made it hard on opposing forwards for years in the Premier League. Howard played for Manchester United, winning goalkeeper of the year, but it was his time at Everton that will always be remembered. Howard played 329 games and scored 1 goal for Everton, a club legend.

Antonio Valencia

The Ecuadorian was a rock at Manchester United and reached heights no Ecuadorian soccer player has ever reached in Europe. Valencia was a home run at a club that saw the likes of Veron and Forlan struggle.

Dwight Yorke

48 goals in 96 games, Dwight Yorke was a goal machine at Manchester United, winning six titles for the club. Before that Yorke was scoring for Aston Villa, 73 goals in 231 games, Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City, and Sunderland also had Yorke on their rosters.

Luis Suarez

Maybe the most electric player to play in the Premier League in recent memory. Uruguayan Luis Suarez was everything, a highlight reel goal scorer, passion on the pitch, and at times controversial. Only one domestic cup was all Suarez could win with Liverpool, but he left behind four magical years at Anfield.

Sergio Aguero

The greatest import from the Americas without question is Argentine Sergio Aguero, el Kun became a Manchester City legend, 184 goals in 275, the 5 Premier League titles, the 15 total championships. El Kun left a mark that will take a long time for a player of the Americas to achieve.