Neymar transfer close as 'negotiations almost complete'

Tom Weber

Updated: 24 Jan 2025 18:25 GMT
3 min read

Neymar's return to Santos is as good as done, with negotiations 'almost complete,' according to L'Equipe.

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The Brazilian is on the verge of returning to the club of his heart. Neymar's professional career started at Santos, the club of the great Pele, and now things are close to coming full circle.

For years, Santos have flirted with the idea of bringing back the 32-year-old megastar and Neymar himself has never made a secret of his desire to one day return.

Over the past week or two, Santos have stepped up the pursuit of their former wonderkid to celebrate their return to Brazil's Serie A with a bang. It came after Al-Hilal decided not to register their €90 million signing for the second half of the Saudi Pro League campaign due to his persistent injuries.

According to L'Equipe, Neymar's return to Santos is now only a matter of time. 'Negotiations are almost complete between all the stakeholders,' the French outlet reports.

Neymar to return to Santos - but stay in Saudi?

Speculation surrounding Neymar's future has been rampant for some time. Due to an ACL rupture and a subsequent muscle injury, the Brazilian has only made a handful of appearances for Al-Hilal since joining in 2023.

His contract with the Riyadh giants expires at the end of the season, but there have been suggestions that he could actually extend his deal before his loan to Santos as some Saudi chiefs believe that his continued presence could be crucial in negotiations over a new TV rights deal.

Moreover, Neymar is expected to be an ambassador for the 2034 World Cup in the Kingdom and, if he leaves Al-Hilal, he wants to do so on good terms.

There have also been tentative rumours of a potential return to Barcelona, but they were recently quashed by sporting director Deco, who acknowledged that a move back to Brazil is a much more likely outcome.

Barring a spectacular turnaround in negotiations, Neymar will return to Santos more than a decade after leaving. The former PSG winger and his father are also expected to join an investment fund linked to Santos, according to L'Equipe.