Coutinho considered for Premier League return with Liverpool link-up on cards

Former Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho has long been touted with a switch to a number of Premier League clubs just three years after he first left the league.

However, the latest outfit rumoured to harbour at least some interest in overseeing the Brazilian's return to the division could be the most shocking.

According to Sport, Everton have held talks with Coutinho's agent about a potential surprise return to Merseyside, though this time he'd be playing his football the other side of Stanley Park under ex-Reds manager Rafael Benitez.

While it may be severe to suggest Coutinho's Anfield departure was acrimonious, the Brazil international did burn bridges with some Reds fans after the way his exit was handled.

HAVE YOUR SAY! Where will Coutinho play his football after January? Comment below

Announced as a Barcelona player by Nike before Liverpool could confirm the deal had been done, Coutinho also made his desire to call time on Reds career abundantly clear.

Things have failed to work out as planned at the Camp Nou, Coutinho struggling to recreate the kind of form that earned him such plaudits while at Liverpool.

If he were to ply his trade at Goodison Park from January onwards, he would be playing under another figure who has at the very least stained his Liverpool legacy by working with Everton in Benitez.

Two former Liverpool greats now donning the blue of Everton would undoubtedly be an unwelcome sight for the Kop faithful, regardless of the clear gulf in quality between the two sides.

The pair have actually worked together previously, though their respective Liverpool careers never overlapped.

Benitez enjoyed an ill-fated six-month stint at the helm of Inter Milan, in which he time he worked with a young Coutinho.

According to former Liverpool director of football Damien Comolli, Coutinho's switch to Anfield in 2013 may have never even happened had it not been for Benitez doing his old side a favour.

"We didn't even know he was that good - it was difficult to watch him play because he was never playing at Inter," Comolli told ESPN.

"We knew about him, we knew he was good, but it was only when Rafa said he's going to be world-class. When somebody like Rafa says a thing about a player like this, you listen.

"The head of recruitment said he was the best we could get. But I was sacked, then Kenny [Dalglish] was sacked."

Piero Ausilo, Inter's sporting director at the time of Benitez's reign, said that allowing Coutinho to leave is one of his "greatest regrets" during his two decades working for the club.

Benitez may view bringing Coutinho to Everton as his chance to properly work with the midfielder, who was just 18 at the time of their last partnership at the Nerazzurri.