Brazil international Neymar is reportedly working on a deal to rejoin Santos, returning to his boyhood club more than a decade after his multimillion-dollar transfer to Barcelona. Although a deal has not yet been finalised, Neymar is looking to end his current contract with Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal and join Santos on a six-month contract. according to Globo. Although Al Hilal appears willing to part with the star and opts not to sign him for the second half of the season, the parties still need to reach a financial agreement before he leaves. Neymar’s current contract would see him earn $65 million in wages before the contract expires this summer, an amount the 32-year-old would still like to receive.
Santos reportedly already has an agreement with Neymar once he ends his contract with the Saudi team. He acted quickly after Al Hilal manager Jorge Jesus said last week that Neymar would not be part of the club’s plans for the rest of the season. Within 24 hours they made a video narrated by an AI-generated Pele, the former Santos and Brazil star who died in 2022, to convince Neymar and his representatives of a return. The video is said to have brought Neymar Santos Sr., the player’s father and agent, to tears.
This marks a dramatic end to Neymar’s time in Saudi Arabia, which began in the summer of 2023 when Al Hilal paid a transfer fee of more than $200 million to Paris Saint-Germain for his services. He headlined a major effort by Sadi clubs and the Gulf state’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, to attract European-based talent and increase attention to their domestic competition. However, Neymar’s time at Al Hilal was plagued by injury and rumors that he wanted out, which intensified this winter between interest from Santos and the MLS.
The Chicago Fire were one of three clubs reportedly exploring the idea of bringing Neymar to North America, although the player was not necessarily interested in joining any of the interested teams. He is said to have considered a move to Inter Miami, according to ESPNand he got the autograph of his former Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez, but another ex-teammate and current Miami head coach Javier Mascherano said that would be unlikely given the selection rules.
Neymar was a product of Santos’ academy and made his debut in 2009 at the age of 17. He scored 136 goals in 225 games, establishing himself as one of the best players of his generation and eventually landing a move to Barcelona. in May 2013.