GREENVILLE, S.C. – Greenville Triumph SC welcomed its first new arrival of the offseason on Friday as the club announced it had signed midfielder Lucas Coutinho, pending league and federation approval.

A native of Recife, Brazil, the 28-year-old joins Greenville after spending the 2021 season in the USL Championship with FC Tulsa. Coutinho made 18 appearances for Tulsa, collecting two goals and two assists. Before signing with FC Tulsa, Coutinho spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons with League One’s Tormenta FC, appearing in 26 matches.

“We are excited to add Lucas to our Greenville Triumph family,” said Greenville Head Coach John Harkes. “He is a person of high character, and he possesses key qualities of a creative number 10 in our attack. His vision & technical ability will make us more dangerous in the final third. Please welcome him to the club and our community!”

Coutinho's nine appearances in 2021 capped a remarkable return to the pitch after suffering a potentially career-threatening injury in August of 2019. He spent five days in a coma after a collision with an opposing goalkeeper resulted in multiple cerebral edemas. He returned to competitive play less than a year after suffering the injury.

Coutinho played his collegiate soccer at Palm Beach Atlantic University in Florida, where he was a four-year letter-winner. He started 62 matches, tallied 25 goals and earned NSCAA/NCCAA All-American honors each of his four years. Coutinho’s signing with Greenville marks a return to the Palmetto State for the Brazilian, playing high school soccer for Clover.