RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Neymar is leaving the Saudi Arabian league after playing just seven games in 17 months following his big-money move to the oil-rich kingdom. Now he could be heading back to boyhood Brazilian club Santos.
Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal said Monday it reached an agreement with Neymar to terminate his contract by mutual consent, marking the end of an injury-plagued stint in the Middle East. The 32-year-old Brazilian, once hailed as one of the world's best players, was sidelined for a year after an ACL injury and produced only one goal and two assists for the club.
“I gave everything to play and I wish we enjoyed better times on the pitch together,” Neymar said in a message on social media. “To Saudi, thank you for giving me and my family a new home and new experiences. I now know the real Saudi and have friends for life.”
Despite Neymar's injury, Al-Hilal still managed to win last season's Saudi league. The Brazilian's contract was due to expire after this year's FIFA Club World Cup, which will be played between June 15 and July 13 in the United States.
The club said in a statement published on its social media channels that it “expresses its thanks and appreciation to Neymar for what he has provided throughout his career with Al-Hilal.”
The striker joined the Saudi club from Paris Saint-Germain in August 2023 for 90 million euros ($94 million), in one of many transactions that placed the Arab country as one of the new big soccer markets in the world. His salary was reportedly one of the biggest in world soccer as well.
But Neymar picked up his ACL injury, the most serious of his career, playing for Brazil only months after he joined Al-Hilal.
Neymar returned in October and had his most recent appearance for the Saudi club in November, but said in different interviews there were doubts over whether he would stay for the rest of the season.
Brazilian media reports say Neymar is targeting a return to Santos, the club where he achieved national fame and his first caps for Brazil before he joined Barcelona in 2013.
Day Crespo, a spokeswoman for Neymar in Brazil, told The Associated Press that the player will comment on his future at a later date.
However, Santos fans are already expecting Neymar's return. Since last week, they have posted a video of a man with the voice of legendary three-time World Cup winner Pelé, who died in 2022, asking Neymar to return and wear his historic No. 10 shirt.
Neymar won six titles at Santos, including the Brazilian Cup in 2010 and the prestigious Copa Libertadores in 2011. In June, during a visit to one of his social projects in Brazil, the striker denied he was eyeing a return to the club.
“No (chance to return to Santos). This is a total lie, there's no plans. I have another year in my contract with Al-Hilal. I hope to play a great season there. I didn't play the last one. We need to live day to day, there's a long time ahead,” Neymar told media then. “Obviously Santos is the club in my heart, one day I do want to come back. But there's no plan in my head.”
On Jan. 17, Neymar said in a different interview he was once again considering playing in Brazil, as he denied he had any intention to play in the United States in the near future. Besides Santos, he also named Flamengo, the country’s most popular club.
“I always said I want to play for Flamengo because of everything that involves Flamengo. But Santos is my boyhood love, my home,” he said.
Santos executives have repeatedly said they would like Neymar to return, but denied media reports saying that the player and his father are trying to buy the club's soccer department.
Earlier in January, Neymar made news for his comments about former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappé, who is now at Real Madrid.
Speaking in a podcast hosted by World Cup winner Romário, Neymar said the Frenchman became “a little jealous” after superstar Lionel Messi joined the French club in August 2021 in a free transfer. He also added that big egos affected the performances of PSG in big matches.
Neymar, Brazil's all-time top goal scorer with 79 goals in 125 matches, also said he is focused on getting more playing time so he can prepare for the World Cup in North America next year, in what could be his last shot at winning the tournament.
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