Al Hilal forward Neymar is still recovering from a hamstring injury suffered last November but is set to leave the club after his coach Jorge Jesus recently said the 32-year-old “can no longer play at the level we use”. . “He was unable to register for the Saudi Pro League in the second half of the season.
Neymar signed a contract with Al Hilal from PSG in 2023 for $98.6 million, with an annual salary of approximately $100 million.
With regular playing time not guaranteed at Al Hilal, the most expensive footballer in history (PSG signed him for a world record $262 million from Barcelona in 2017) could choose his next destination. But where will he go? And who would sign him at this stage of his career?
Why is Neymar planning to leave Saudi Arabia?
Al Hilal decided not to register him for the second half of the season due to his injury. He’s not ready to play right away yet. Quota of foreign players allowed in the squad.
Al Hilal wants Neymar to play in the summer Club World Cup. However, Neymar does not want to stay until June without playing regularly and feels now is the right time for a move. Since his move 18 months ago, he has made just seven appearances and scored one goal in all competitions.
Will Al Hilal agree to loan him out?
Potentially that could be the case, but sources now say Al Hilal are not ready to terminate his contract, which expires this summer, and pay the €60 million they owe him in one lump sum.
Neymar wants to leave, but he wants to do so with the remaining weekly wages. The 32-year-old has just five months left on his contract and a move for a fee is highly unlikely, so a loan (with the new team paying part of his wages) is the most likely option here.
Al Hilal can also keep him and only play in the Asian Champions League before he leaves as a free agent.
Will his wages be an issue?
No, it shouldn’t be like that. Currently, no club can pay him as much as Al Hilal. Neymar is fully aware of this fact and will not ask too much financially from his next club. It won’t be about money, which won’t be at the level of his Saudi contract or even his previous contract in Paris. He understands MLS’ Designated Player system and salary cap regulations. And he knows Santos’ financial situation and circumstances all too well.
So can he return to Santos?
Santos CEO Pedro Martins recently seemed to rule out the possibility of a lease, saying: “Nothing has been done and nothing has been concluded. The club is monitoring Neymar’s situation to see how he will resolve his issues with his current club. Neymar has signed a contract with the club.” “Once it’s resolved there, we’ll evaluate the possibility of it coming here,” he said.
But according to ESPN sources, returning home is the player’s top priority. Santos is where it all started for him. His father Neymar Sr. is very close to the Teixeira family that owns the club.
Neymar now believes it makes sense to return home and dreams of finishing his career at Santos. He wants to leave a bigger legacy there and get the team back to the top before he retires.
Could he move to MLS?
That’s another serious option. ESPN broke the story Thursday that three MLS franchises were eager to sign him. One of them is Chicago Fire. The delegation traveled to Riyadh to meet him.
Playing in the United States is attractive to Neymar and his brand, and he knows the door to return to Santos will always be open. And if he decides to go to MLS first, he’ll be there in two years. Additionally, it would be a huge coup for MLS to sign a Brazilian player.
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Will Neymar make a comeback in MLS?
Stevie Nicol was quick to dispute Julien Lawrence’s notion that Neymar could regain his form by moving to MLS.
Are you interested in other leagues?
Currently, no club from any other league has stepped up for him. Considering his age and the fact that he has barely played in the past 18 months and is unlikely to play much in the next six months, it is difficult to see a top side in any of Europe’s big five leagues making a move. Even as a free agent (FA) for him.
However, he is still football royalty and would love to join a top project if he decides not to return to Santos.
Where do you think he will end up?
Sadly, he will likely remain at Al Hilal until the summer, with his time on the pitch very limited as he can only feature in the Asian Champions League.
He will end his contract in Saudi Arabia, get paid, and (eventually) return to full fitness and become a free agent before choosing where to go next. He will then be ready to return to his hometown of Santos to finish his career.
Additional reporting by Nathalia Ferrão, Pedro Ivo Almeida and Victoria Leite.
