Philippe Coutinho will not play for new club, Barcelona, for about three weeks because of a thigh injury he sustained while at Liverpool, it has been revealed.
The Brazilian playmaker passed a medical on Monday during which club doctors analysed the injury which kept him out of Liverpool’s Premier League win over Burnley on January 1.
“Coutinho has an injury in his right thigh. He will be out for 20 days,” the Spanish La Liga leaders said in a statement.
This means he is likely to make his debut in the Catalan derby against Espanyol on February 4.
Barcelona coughed out a whopping £142m for the Brazilian playmaker who will wear the No 14 jersey.
Moments after sealing his signature on Monday, the Catalans unveiled the midfielder to the fully parked Nou Camp faithful.
The 25-year-old signed a five-and-a-half-year contract alongside president Josep Maria Bartomeu, before performing keeps-puppies in front of supporters.
“I want to thank the president and everyone who has made it possible,” said Coutinho.
“I am very happy, it’s a dream come true and I hope to be up to the job on the field.”
Coutinho is reported to have committed £11.5m of his own money to help facilitate the deal.
“Philippe, welcome. We know that you have made a personal and economic effort,” said Barcelona vice-president Jordi Mestre.
Bartomeu said the club had been pursuing Coutinho since last summer and that the Brazilian is “one of the world’s stars”.
He added: “We knew it was not going to be easy to get him here. We’ve been talking and working for months on this, but one of the important aspects was he wanted to come here.
“He helped make an effort, and he was patient, and that has been key in him coming here.
“I also want to thank Liverpool, one of Europe’s biggest clubs, for allowing him to leave and come here.”
