Brazil international Neymar is reportedly working on a deal to return to Santos, his boyhood club, over a decade after his high-profile transfer to Barcelona. While nothing is set in stone, he is striving to terminate his contract with Al Hilal and finalize a six-month arrangement with Santos. As reported by Globo, even though Al Hilal seems open to letting the star go and has opted not to register him for the latter half of the season, all sides must reach an agreeable financial deal before he can depart. Neymar currently stands to earn $65 million before his contract’s expiration this summer, a figure he is keen on maintaining.
Santos has apparently made arrangements with Neymar in anticipation of his contract termination with the Saudi club, swiftly acting after Al Hilal manager Jorge Jesus disclosed last week that Neymar was not part of the team’s future plans. Within a day, they created a video narrated by an AI-generated Pelé, the late Brazil and Santos legend, to persuade Neymar and his representation for a return. This video reportedly moved Neymar’s father and agent to tears.
Neymar’s Saudi Arabia chapter, which began in the summer of 2023, started with Al Hilal paying over $200 million to acquire him from Paris Saint-Germain. He had been the flagship acquisition of an initiative led by Saudi clubs to attract European talent and enhance the visibility of their domestic league. Nevertheless, his spell at Al Hilal was marred by injuries and growing speculation regarding his departure, leading to interest from Santos and MLS.
The Chicago Fire was among three clubs considering the option of bringing Neymar to North America, albeit he did not show significant interest in joining any teams. He would have entertained a move to Inter Miami, supported by former Barcelona teammate Luis Suárez, but the chances tightened with comments from current Miami head coach Javier Mascherano about its unlikelihood due to roster restrictions.
Neymar was developed in Santos’ academy, making his professional debut in 2009 at 17 years old. He found the net 136 times in 225 appearances, establishing himself as one of the best players of his era before moving to Barcelona in May 2013.
