After an injury-plagued stint with Al-Hilal, Neymar has officially parted ways with the Saudi Pro League club. The 32-year-old Brazilian star’s contract was terminated this week, fueling speculation that a return to his boyhood club, Santos, is on the horizon.
Neymar’s exit follows his exclusion from Al-Hilal’s squad for the second half of the season, which many saw as a signal of his impending departure. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward took to Instagram to express gratitude to Al-Hilal’s fans and the Saudi community for their support during his time in the Middle East.
“To everyone at Al Hilal, to the fans, thank you!! I gave everything to play and I wish we enjoyed better times on the pitch together,” Neymar wrote.
“To Saudi, thank you for giving me and my family a new home and new experiences. I now know the real Saudi and have friends for life. I always felt your love and passion for the game. I will be following your journey ahead as a club and a country towards 2034. Your future will be incredible, special things are happening. And I will always support you!”
Neymar joined Al-Hilal in the summer of 2023 in a blockbuster €90 million (£77m/$98m) move from Paris Saint-Germain, making headlines as one of the biggest names to enter the Saudi Pro League. However, his time with the club was marred by injuries, and he managed just seven appearances in all competitions.
The transfer, initially viewed as a milestone for both Neymar and the Saudi league, has since been labeled by some as one of football’s most disappointing moves. Despite his best intentions, Neymar struggled to make the impact fans and the club had hoped for.
With his time in Saudi Arabia now behind him, Neymar has been heavily linked with a return to Santos, the club where he first rose to stardom. Having left for Barcelona in 2013, Neymar’s potential comeback to Santos would mark a full-circle moment in his illustrious career.
Fans of the Brazilian club are eagerly awaiting confirmation, with many seeing Neymar’s return as a chance to rekindle the magic he brought to the team during his early years.