Neymar Set to Rejoin Santos After Departure from Al Hilal

Neymar is making a return to his childhood club Santos, as confirmed by the club's president on Tuesday, following his departure from Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal after a frustrating 17-month stint.

At Santos, Neymar had a successful early career, winning six titles, including the prestigious Copa Libertadores in 2011. His time at Al Hilal, however, was less fruitful, with the 32-year-old appearing in just seven matches and scoring only once, largely due to an ACL injury he sustained while playing for Brazil in October 2023.

Santos president Marcelo Teixeira welcomed Neymar's return on social media, expressing excitement over the player's return to the club where his career began. Teixeira encouraged Neymar to "come back to our home, to the club in our hearts," and assured him that the Santos fans would welcome him with open arms.

Although Neymar had been linked with a move to Chicago Fire, sources revealed that his primary desire was to return to Santos rather than move to Major League Soccer. Neymar had spent most of his time in Saudi Arabia recovering from his injury and had struggled to find his best form.

Neymar's career has since flourished on the international stage, starting with a high-profile transfer from Santos to Barcelona in 2013. There, he formed a potent attacking trio alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, helping the team secure numerous domestic and European titles.

In 2017, Neymar made a record-breaking €222 million transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, where he enjoyed continued domestic success but fell short of winning the Champions League, with his closest attempt being a loss to Bayern Munich in the 2020 final.