Al Hilal announced on Monday that they had reached an agreement with Neymar to terminate his contract and open the door for a return to Santos for the Brazil international.
The Saudi Pro League club said on social media that the two sides had agreed to mutually part ways and wished Neymar luck in his future.
That future increasingly looks like it will be in his native Brazil, with ESPN sources saying on Sunday that Neymar would sign a six-month contract with the option of an additional year at Santos, the team with which he came through the youth ranks.
According to ESPN Brazil, Neymar is set to sign a contract with Santos in the coming days, and the club plans to unveil him to the fans on Thursday or Friday.
To facilitate his return, Neymar has agreed to give up a significant portion of his salary from his deal with Al Hilal, which runs through next summer. Sources said he will forfeit between $25 million and $30 million from the $65 million remaining on his contract.
Neymar, 32, endured a difficult spell with Al Hilal after joining the Saudi Arabian club from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023 for a fee of $97.6 million.
The former Barcelona star suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while on international duty shortly after signing for Al Hilal. He returned to the field last October, but a hamstring injury kept him from making more of a contribution, and manager Jorge Jesus said earlier in January that Neymar was free to pursue other opportunities.
He made just seven league and cup appearances with just one goal scored in an AFC Champions League group stage match against Nassaji Mazandaran on Oct. 3, 2023.
Despite his struggles in Saudi Arabia, Neymar remains one of the biggest names in the sport thanks to his exploits alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez while with Barcelona from 2013 to 2017. In that time, he was part of sides that won a UEFA Champions League crown, two LaLiga titles and three Copa del Reys.
He later moved to PSG in 2017 and won five Ligue 1 titles, three French Cups and two French League Cups.
Neymar began his professional career with Santos in 2009, leading them to a Copa Libertadores triumph in 2011, where he scored in the second leg of the final, a 2-1 win over Peñarol.
Santos won the Brazilian Serie B title in 2024 and were promoted to the country's top flight for the upcoming season.
At the international level, Neymar has appeared 128 times for Brazil, scoring a Selecao-record 79 goals. He was part of the Brazil side that won the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics, which Brazil hosted.
Brazil superstar Neymar is closing in on a return to his former club Santos, sources told ESPN on Sunday.Neymar remains on the roster of Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal, but the team's manager Jorge Jesus said earlier in January that the Brazilian attacker can "no longer play at the level we are used to," and wasn't registered to play in the Saudi Pro League, leaving Neymar eligible to play only in th...
Let's start our Daily Laugh today. Amara Nallo Debut Bournemouth this season (LIV next) true 18 matches at once, it's just too much. Speed describing how Ronaldo smells like in his stream:"You could smell his aura. He smells like a GOAT." lol Juventus Please stay tuned on Daily Laugh. There will be more fun tomorrow!(Credit: Just toon it, trollfootball, The Football Arena, AZR Organization)...
Manchester United have plenty of business to tie up before Monday’s transfer deadline, with Patrick Dorgu closing in on a move to Old Trafford. Marcus Rashford appears to be heading for the exit after facing the wrath of Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim, while Alejandro Garnacho could also be set to depart.Chelsea are in the mix for new signings and could rival Napoli for Garnacho. The Blues are...
Marcus Rashford could be at the center of a deadline-day transfer as Manchester United have made him available. Man Utd star Rashford could be set for a deadline day move as the window comes to a closeUnited are asking for £40M for Rashford but are also open to a loan deal, per The Sun. European clubs, including Barcelona, have shown interest, but his £325,000-a-week wages have been a si...
Chelsea’s pursuit of Alejandro Garnacho could be a last-minute scramble late into the winter window – but the club have a contingency plan in place should the Blues fail to secure a Manchester United winger before the transfer deadline, according to reports.The Argentine forward could still leave Old Trafford before February 3, when the window closes, with the club willing to sell him ...
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery said he does not want Ollie Watkins to leave the club amid interest from Arsenal, but said if Jhon Durán completes his move to Al Nassr then it is "good news" for the club as it shows they are doing the right things in terms of developing players.Emery was speaking after Aston Villa secured their spot in the knockout stages of the Champions League following a 4-...
Chelsea are reportedly close to signing a new striker, Mathys Tel, who has decided to leave Bayern Munich this month. The Blues have been linked with the Frenchman, while Bayern Munich is interested in Chelsea's Christopher Nkunku. This potential deal might lead Chelsea to abandon their pursuit of Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho. Tel's decision to leave Bayern has put Chelsea on high alert ...
Manchester City are nearing a £58.7 million deal for Andrea Cambiaso this week.The Juventus full-back ruled himself out of their crucial Champions League match against Benfica. City had a £54.5 million offer rejected, with Juventus demanding £75.5 million, per The Mirror.A compromise is expected this week after Juve coach Thiago Motta revealed Cambiaso cited an ankle injury for his ...
Chelsea forward Deivid Washington is set to join Santos on loan until the end of the season. He will link up with Neymar, who is rejoining Santos from Al-Hilal. Washington, 19, joined Chelsea from Santos in 2023 but has made just three senior appearances. The loan move aims to provide him with more playing time and experience. Neymar's return to Santos is highly anticipated, as he started his care...
Let's start our Daily Laugh today. Are you ok ? Ange Attacker of the big EPL team Jackson , Rasford Wednesday in the Champions League: 18 games. All at once. The THREE Pillars of Real Madrid's UCL 3PEAT! CLASS ACT! Lionel Messi is FC BARCELONA! Incredible achievement. Please stay tuned on Daily Laugh. There will be more fun tomorrow!(Credit: Just toon it, BleacherReportFootball, AZR Orga...
- 1 Kerkez and £83m ace join as Salah signs
- 2 'exciting' Betis on signing Man Utd flop
- 3 Transfer news and rumours LIVE
- 4 Enzo 'trying to fix romance with childhood sweetheart'
- 5 Man Utd fans spot something very wrong with Amad Diallo’s training kit
- 6 Ashley Cole, wife Sharon, Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy on luxury skiing holiday
- 7 Meet Jude Bellingham's new model WAG
- 8 Atletico Madrid in talks for Arsenal Zinchenko
- 9 Napoli confirm Garnacho interest
- 10 LaLiga ace Alex Berenguer & model wife ‘have gun pointed at them’