Neymar APPROVES two signings but FAILS first sporting director test

Robin Bairner

Updated: 5 Feb 2025 12:10 GMT
3 min read

Neymar rapidly approved two signing targets for Santos after his spectacular return to the Brazilian club last week.

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The former Barcelona and PSG star departed Al-Hilal to hook up with the Serie A outfit amid rumours that he would build a dream team at Santos.

Current ETV

Neymar

F (L), M, AMC

Santos

Neymar

F (L), M, AMC

Santos

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€6M - €8.2M

And according to Brazilian media, Neymar is already acting as a transfer consultant to help his new club strengthen from Europe.

The 33-year-old, acting as Santos’ de facto sporting director, approved two names to join him at Santos: Leandro Paredes and Arthur Melo.

Lucas Musetti, a journalist for UOL, explained: “Neymar and his father are directly involved in this search for signings. I heard that Neymar approved two names right away — he already wanted to suggest them and they were already on Santos' radar: Arthur Melo, who ended up being loaned to Girona, and Paredes himself, who will continue at Roma.”

More players in Neymar’s sights

Neymar has also offered other suggestions of players who could move to Santos.

“In the review, Neymar said: 'Man, I need a strong team. Do you want me to talk to so-and-so? This guy here told me he wants to come...' Musetti added.

“Behind the scenes, back then, when the negotiations started to move forward, he said in the review: 'And Pogba, huh? Look, Sergio Ramos is free... Thiago Silva is my friend…'”

Sergio Ramos has since secured a move to Mexico while Thiago Silva is turning out for Fluminense, but Paul Pogba remains a free agent and the likeliest of Neymar’s suggested targets to wind up at Santos.

Neymar, who could make his Santos return against Botafogo on Wednesday night, has reportedly taken a 90% pay cut to re-join his boyhood club for the next six months.