'Why not?' - Philippe Coutinho reveals exactly how Neymar convinced him to join Santos

Coutinho has officially signed for Brazilian giants Santos on a short-term deal until the end of the season. The move marks a welcome return to football for the experienced playmaker.

The former Liverpool and Barcelona star had been without a club since departing Vasco da Gama in February. He stepped away from the game earlier this year after citing mental exhaustion.

Now refreshed and ready for a new challenge, Coutinho has taken the No. 11 shirt at his new club. The transfer pairs him with his childhood friend and former Brazil team-mate Neymar.

Coutinho was quick to highlight Neymar's influence during his official unveiling. The attacker explained how persistent messages from his long-time friend eventually convinced him to return to the pitch.

"Neymar certainly played a very important role in my coming here," Coutinho admitted, as quoted by ESPN. "He's a player who needs no introduction, a friend I've had since childhood, and I think he was the first person in football to send me a message when I left Vasco."

"The next day he had already sent me a message, but at that moment I said: 'Look Ney, it would be a pleasure to play with you, but I'm not feeling well right now, it's not possible' and it really didn't make sense to me."

The playmaker stepped away from Vasco da Gama to prioritise his mental health. When Neymar first reached out, Coutinho openly admitted that a return to professional football simply did not make sense to him at the time.

"Months later he contacted me again, but my answer was the same. Then two weeks ago he sent me another message," he added. "Then I stopped, reconsidered. I wanted to go back to playing football and I thought: 'Why not?' I'm going to a big club, in another city.

"It would be unfair to me not being able to go back to work and not being able to go back to playing football. I wanted to thank the president, Mattos and Ney. I'm happy to accept this challenge."

Coutinho's current contract runs until the end of the year, aligning perfectly with Neymar's existing deal at Santos. The immediate priority for Coutinho is to regain his match sharpness and deliver on the pitch. Fans will eagerly anticipate seeing the two Brazilian icons link up in the famous white shirt.