Neymar already eyeing up exit from Saudi Arabia after only five games – report
Neymar is looking to leave Saudi Arabia and has told players at former club Santos that he will be back in Brazil by 2025, a report has claimed.
The 32-year-old winger left Paris Saint-Germain to join Al Hilal during the summer for a whopping €90m, only to suffer an ACL injury just five games into his career in Saudi Arabia. His contract is believed to be worth close to €150m per season.
While he remains sidelined, Neymar returned to Brazil to watch former side Santos face Palmeiras in the final of the Campeonato Paulista, and according to UOL Esporte, it was here that he privately announced his plan to leave Saudi Arabia.
Neymar is reported to have told both players and staff at Santos that he plans to play in the 2025 Brazilian season, which is due to get underway in April 2025 – two months before his contract with Al Hilal expires.
The winger has previously spoken of a desire to return to Brazil at some point but this latest speech is the first indication of a timeline for Neymar’s plans.
Neymar impressed during the early weeks of his time in Saudi Arabia, racking up three assists and a goal across five appearances before going down with an injury that could easily end his season.
Despite his absence, Al Hilal remain 12 points clear at the top of the league table, led by former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic’s return of 22 goals in as many games.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Ruben Neves lead the club’s assist charts, while former Barcelona winger Malcom has also impressed with 14 goals and ten assists across all competitions.
Al Hilal are expected to be active this summer and are expected to make a push to sign Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, who is a top target for the Saudi Pro League alongside Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne.