Neymar could be about to end his adventure with Al Hilal. The Brazilian star is in his final months as a player for Al-Za’eem (The Leader, in Arabic): his contract expires on June 30, and at the moment, there are no discussions for an extension. The options for Neymar are increasing as the days go by, with the possibility of a transfer as early as January or waiting to make the best decision after the Club World Cup, where Al Hilal is grouped with Real Madrid. He will have no shortage of offers, with Inter Miami (MLS) and Santos (Brazil) as potential destinations, while Al Hilal looks for his replacement (Salah). The final decision will be up to Neymar himself.
Al Hilal’s investment did not yield the expected results: the Public Investment Fund (PIF) paid PSG 90 million euros for his transfer and secured a two-year contract for the Brazilian from worth 100 million euros per season. His playing time was limited to just seven official matches, costing Al Hilal almost €56 million per appearance. The Athletic concisely summarizes the Brazilian’s time in Saudi: “lots of promises, lots of smiles for the cameras, very little action. »
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Injuries overshadowed his stay in the Middle East. A torn anterior cruciate ligament during the October 2023 international window (Uruguay 2- Brazil 0) hampered his participation with Al-Za’eem, taking over a year for him to return (October 21), at amid controversies concerning the excesses of its recovery in Brazil. Unfortunately, he suffered a setback just a few days later (November 4), this time a muscular problem. Those close to the player are cautious: “Neymar is focused on getting back into shape. He wants to play before making a decision,” they say.
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He is neither present nor expected to return, at least that is the perception in Al Hilal. The club managed to fight on without Neymar: they won the 2023/24 Saudi Professional League, the King’s Cup, and reached the semi-finals of the Asian Champions League. In addition, Neymar will cause collateral damage in January: upon his return, the club will have to part with a foreign player to register him for the second part of the season – all eight foreign positions are currently occupied (Kalidou Koulibaly, Malcom, Renan Lodi, Yassine Bounou, Ruben Neves, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Joao Cancelo, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic). For now, he can only participate in the Champions League and the Copa del Rey, unless there are departures in January.
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The club is scouting the market for the future, aiming not to repeat their past ‘mistake’. Among all the names, Mohamed Salah is the most favored within the ranks of Al Hilal. The Public Investment Fund has been trying for years to convince the Egyptian star to head to the Gulf. The winger’s contract with Liverpool also expires in June, as does Neymar’s, and he will not continue in the Premier League. “This is my last season. There is no progress, and we are quite far away. So I just have to wait and see,” he commented to Sky.
Neymar does not think about his future, but only about regaining his footballing feelings. However, that hasn’t stopped him from accumulating suitors for the summer. As AS reported earlier, Inter Miami will do everything to secure his signature. Jorge Mas, co-owner of the Herons, is in love with the Brazilian. The aim would be to reunite the MSN trio in time for the Club World Cup this June, and Neymar is in favor of the idea.
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“Obviously, playing with (Lionel) Messi and (Luis) Suárez again would be incredible. They are my friends. We continue to talk to each other. It would be interesting to see this trio again. I’m happy in Al Hilal, happy in Saudi Arabia, but who knows? Football is full of surprises,” he stressed in an interview with CNN. “When the news came out that I was leaving Paris Saint-Germain, the transfer market in the United States was closed, so I didn’t have that option. The project that was offered to me (in Saudi Arabia) was excellent, not only for me but also for my family, so going to Saudi Arabia was the best choice. »
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If Inter Miami wants the return of MSN, in Brazil they hope for the return of the prodigal son. Santos, the club where he took his first professional steps, remains hopeful. Le Peixe returns to Brasileirão after a season in the throes of Serie B. Having Neymar would be a game-changer for the club, and they do not hide this fact. “We are clear and focused; his father and his team know it,” Santos president Marcelo Teixeira told the media, following their promotion to the Brazilian Serie A in November. “They know me, they know Santos. We have to wait because he has an active contract. »
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The situation in Santos does not inspire optimism. The return to Brazil’s elite forces the club to obtain immediate results, not just to ensure their continued existence. At the end of his career, the pressure could not coincide with Neymar’s plans. This is why several Brazilian media suggest that the number ten could “take charge of or invest in the club where he started his career and where he is still revered” as an investor or owner of the entity.
What is certain is that Neymar will have to make a decision in the coming weeks. There are many factors to consider, as we have elaborated. In the medium term, the winger wants to be part of the next 2026 World Cup in Mexico, the United States and Canada with Brazil. To do this, he must regain his best level. The decision is imminent.
