WHAT HAPPENED?
Having returned to his roots on the back of seeing injury issues lead to the termination of his contract at Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, Neymar has agreed to remain with Santos through to the end of 2025.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
A change of scenery may be sought at that point, heading towards the 2026 World Cup, but Neymar is happy to stay put for now. That is despite his father admitting that teams with Champions League football on their agenda had made approaches for the Brazil international.
GettyWHAT SANTOS CHIEF SAID
Santos chief Alexandre Mattos is delighted to have seen Neymar shun those advances, saying of the 33-year-old playmaker: “What a pleasure and honor to work with him. I've known the family for a long time, I kept in touch before I came. I saw the love that Neymar has for this club. It's impressive the desire he has to help and contribute to Santos.
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“And now, I'm a market guy, this renewal, what I received in messages from directors and CEOs from around the world who would like to have Neymar, there was a huge amount of clubs that wanted Neymar and he said he didn't want it. This love that I feel in the club's employees and in the Neymar family, many times they are charged with lies, the love they have for Santos will make Santos regain its prominence.”
DID YOU KNOW?
Mattos went on to say of Neymar’s commitment to the club that helped to launch his record-breaking career: “Neymar generates expectations in everything he is involved in. If you analyze it calmly, everything is happening the way it was supposed to happen. The process of physical adaptation, the occurrence of one injury or another after a year and a half without playing. In terms of physical aspects, it is more or less what was supposed to happen.
“He's a genius, he's dedicated himself a lot, sometimes people only want to see what's interesting, the controversy, but he's dedicated himself to staying here, I spoke to him yesterday, he really wants to have this sequence and, in the sequence, he'll be the decisive Neymar, one of the greatest in the world. Without a doubt, this is very important for Santos and for our team. He really wants this. I'm sure he'll achieve it. And the importance is everything he brings to the club.”
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR NEYMAR?
Former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar, who is Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer, is currently enjoying a break in Santos’ domestic schedule - during the FIFA Club World Cup - that has allowed him to spend time with partner Bruna Biancardi and Spain international wonderkid Lamine Yamal.