Al Hilal striker Neymar is still recovering from a hamstring injury he suffered in November, but will leave the club after his coach, Jorge Jesús, recently said the 32-year-old was “no longer can play at the level we are used to.” “and would not be registered to play in the Saudi Pro League during the second half of the season.
Neymar signed for Al Hilal from PSG for $98.6 million in 2023 and earns an annual salary of around $100 million.
With no guaranteed regular playing time at Al Hilal, the most expensive footballer of all time (PSG signed him from Barcelona in 2017 for a world record fee of $262 million) has to choose his next destination. But where will he go? And who would sign him at this point in his career?
Why will Neymar leave Saudi Arabia?
Al Hilal have decided not to register him for the second half of the season as his injuries (he is not yet ready to play) have been a big problem, in addition to the fact that he is taking up a place among the Quota of foreign players allowed in the squad .
Al Hilal wants Neymar to play in the Club World Cup this summer. However, Neymar does not want to stay until June without playing regularly and believes it is the right time to move. Since his transfer more than 18 months ago, he has only played seven games in all competitions, with one goal.
Would Al Hilal agree to give it up?
Potentially, but at the moment sources say that Al Hilal is not willing to terminate his contract, which expires this summer, and pay him the €60 million he is owed in one lump sum.
Neymar wants to leave but he wants to do it with the salary he has left. A transfer for a fee is unlikely when the 32-year-old only has five months left on his contract, so a loan (with his new team paying part of his salary) is the most likely option here.
Al Hilal could also retain him and play him only in the Asian Champions League before he leaves as a free agent.
Will your salary be a problem?
No, they shouldn't be. No club can pay him as much as Al Hilal right now. Neymar is fully aware of this and will not be too financially demanding for his next club. It will not be a question of money, which will not be at the level of his Saudi contract or even the previous one in Paris. Understand MLS regulations with the designated player system and salary cap. And he knows the financial context and the situation of Santos very well.
So could I return to Santos?
Santos general manager Pedro Martins appeared to rule out a loan, saying recently: “There is nothing advanced, nothing closed. The club is following Neymar's situation to see how he will resolve his case with his current club. Neymar has a contract with him. club. If they resolve it there, we will evaluate what the possibility of coming here is like.”
But, according to ESPN sources, returning home is the player's 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 believes it makes sense to return home and dreams of finishing his career at Santos. He wants to leave an even greater legacy there and take the team to the top before he retires.
Could he move to the MLS?
That is the other serious option. ESPN broke the story Thursday that three MLS franchises were interested in recruiting him (one of them was the Chicago Fire) and a delegation traveled to Riyadh to meet with him.
Playing in the United States is attractive for Neymar and his brand, and he knows that the door to return to Santos will always be open. And it would remain open in two years if he decided to go to MLS first. It would also be a big coup for MLS to get the Brazilian player.
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Could Neymar return to MLS fitness?
Stevie Nicol is quick to question Julien Laurens' idea that Neymar could return to fitness with a move to MLS.
Are there other leagues interested?
At the moment, no other club in other leagues has really spoken out for him. At his age, and considering that he has barely played in the last 18 months and doesn't look like he will play much in the next six months, it is difficult to see a top team in any of the big five European leagues move to him, even as a free agent.
However, he remains football royalty and will want to join a top project if he decides not to return to Santos.
Where do you think it will end?
As sad as it may seem, I think he will end up staying at Al Hilal until the summer with very limited time on the pitch because he will only be able to play in the Asian Champions League.
He'll finish his contract in Saudi Arabia, get his money, get back to full fitness (eventually), and become a free agent before choosing where he goes next. Then he will be ready to return to Santos and finish his career.
Additional reporting by Nathalia Ferrão, Pedro Ivo Almeida and Victoria Leite.
