Neymar Jr. has given an optimistic update on his recovery just days after Jorge Jesus, Al Hilal’s coach, said that the Brazilian star wasn’t ready for an imminent comeback. In a social media post, the striker revealed that he is back training with the group.
“Glad to be back with the group… now it’s all joy,” Neymar wrote on an Instagram post, in which he shared images of his training and doing work with the ball. The Brazilian suffered a rupture of his meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) while on international duty last October.
Before that, he had only played five games with Al Hilal after joining the team in August 2023. The 32-year-old had surgery and later returned to training in July. While his comeback has been expected since, Jesus recently said that he couldn’t specify a date for Neymar’s return to the pitch.
“Neymar is an important player for Al Hilal and the league in general,” Jesus said on Tuesday. “I can’t, however, specify a date as to when he will return but we will look at the situation in January,” he said.
Neymar is set to be registered by Al Hilal in January for the second half of the SPL season. Currently, the league allows teams to register up to eight foreign players over the age of 21. For the first half of the season, Neymar’s spot in the squad was filled by Marcos Leonardo, who joined from Benfica earlier in September.
Neymar’s future with Al Hilal
Despite being sidelined in the SPL, Neymar is still eligible to feature in Al Hilal’s ongoing AFC Champions League campaign, as the tournament has no restrictions on the number of foreign players. His contract with the club runs until August 2025.
However, according to Marca, leadership at the Saudi club is growing impatient with the Brazilian star, as he is still in his recovery. “This happens every day, but the club is getting a bit fed up with the Brazilian,” a source told the Spanish outlet.
Part of the frustration, according to the report, stems from Neymar’s exorbitant salary. The former PSG and Barcelona star is earning $100 million annually, yet he has only played five matches with the team. However, without him, the club won the 2023 Pro League.