Al Hilal forward Neymar is reportedly ready to return to his boyhood club Santos next year, and the club is aiming to give bring back some of the team’s legends to built a ‘super’ team, according to reports from respected Brazilian news outlet UOL.
Citing anonymous sources, UOL stated that Neymar is in discussions to amicably end his two-year contract with Al Hilal, signed in mid-2023. The Brazilian star joined the Saudi Pro League club from Paris Saint-Germain for a fee reported as $97 million (€90 million).
Santos is looking to sign Neymar in a potential free transfer. Peixe, known for producing legends like Pelé, Neymar, and Rodrygo, initially envisioned bringing him back in July 2025. However, recent developments suggest his return could happen sooner, and the club is already making moves in anticipation.
Neymar Jr. of Al-Hilal reacts during the AFC Champions League Elite match between Al-Hilal and Esteghlal at Kingdom Arena (Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)
The club is reportedly targeting other players close to Neymar for 2025, including Ganso (Fluminense), Gabigol (Flamengo), Léo Baptistão (Almería), and Danilo (Juventus). Additionally, Santos plans to secure midfielder Serginho, a close friend of Neymar, on a permanent deal after a modest loan spell with the club.
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Neymar's Brazil comeback reportedly delayed: When will the Al Hilal star return?
What would Neymar’s salary at Santos look like?
While Neymar earns a substantial salary at Al Hilal, he would likely take a significant pay cut to play for Santos. According to UOL, the club plans to offer him a base salary with performance-based incentives, along with revenue-sharing opportunities from commercial ventures, shirt sales, and new sponsorships generated by his presence.
What’s Neymar’s current fitness status?
This news comes shortly after Neymar suffered another injury setback. The forward tore his hamstring in his second AFC Champions League match following his comeback. He played only 30 minutes against Iran’s Esteghlal before being substituted.
This latest injury followed a serious ACL tear Neymar sustained in October during Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Uruguay. He returned to action just last month, appearing briefly in Al Hilal’s AFC Champions League game against Al-Ain.
