Jurgen Klopp's warning rings true after Philippe Coutinho career update

Philippe Coutinho is set to terminate his Vasco da Gama contract after fan criticism, proving Jurgen Klopp's 2018 Barcelona warning continues to haunt the former Liverpool star.

Coutinho's career went downhill after he ignore Jurgen Klopp's advice(Image: Getty Images)

Philippe Coutinho appears poised to engineer an exit from yet another club, with Jurgen Klopp's prophetic warning still echoing.

The Brazilian, who was famously cautioned by Klopp that he would rue his departure from Liverpool as he sought a transfer to Barcelona during the 2017/18 season, has taken his current club Vasco da Gama aback by declaring his intention to terminate his contract.

Reports from Brazil suggest that this news blindsided Vasco, who were in the midst of negotiating a new contract with the 33 year old. Coutinho's existing deal was set to run out in June. Despite attempts to sway his decision, Globo has reported that the choice is "irreversible". It's further noted that the decision stems from criticism he has faced from fans, following jeers during a recent home game.

This marks yet another turbulent episode in a career that has been in limbo since Klopp warned him just before his move to Barcelona in early 2018: "Stay here and they will end up building a statue in your honor. Go somewhere else, to Barcelona, to Bayern Munich, to Real Madrid, and you will be just another player. Here you can be something more."

Coutinho disregarded that advice, departing in a club-record £142million transfer to Barcelona. However, instead of reaching greater heights playing with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, the Brazilian midfielder's trajectory took a sharp decline, turning him into a wandering footballer.

His Barcelona ordeal, which featured a temporary stint at Bayern Munich, concluded in 2022. An effort to revive his fortunes at Aston Villa under Steven Gerrard began promisingly but ultimately collapsed following his former Liverpool colleague's dismissal.

Philippe Coutinho is on his way out of another club(Image: Getty Images)

Whilst Unai Emery sparked a remarkable transformation at Villa Park, he was unable to extract the finest performances from the unpredictable Coutinho, who was promptly loaned out.

Temporary moves followed to Al-Duhail in Qatar and Vasco, before he made the switch to the latter permanent from Villa last year. Yet what ought to have been a sentimental return to his childhood club has become disappointing.

Approaching 34 this summer and without a Brazil appearance since 2022, Coutinho might be questioning whether he should have heeded Klopp's guidance all along.