Brazilian club Santos are increasingly confident in their ability to attract Neymar Jr in the future.
Neymar’s road to European football began at Santos, where he scored an incredible 136 goals in 225 games, before joining Barcelona, aged 21, in 2013. The Brazil international won three championship titles, as well as the Copa Libertadores, before opting for Europe. And the bond remains strong.
However, the 32-year-old’s future is very uncertain, having chosen to join Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain last summer. Neymar is still recovering from a serious knee injury in October, which required surgery, and Santos president Marcelo Teixeira has already hinted he will return.
Return is possible
Teixeira returned to these comments, but indicated that the situation was still evolving and that it would take time to finalize it. “He has a relationship of appreciation, respect and gratitude towards Santos. I think this path (towards a return) is inevitable”he told Mundo Deportivo. “But for now I see a gap in his intention to return to Brazil, because a lot of things need to be developed.
Neymar is under contract with Al Hilal until 2025, and the club is unlikely to release him before the end of his contract, due to the large financial investment made to bring him to the Middle East.
