Neymar is on the verge of going back to where it all started.
The Brazilian soccer star on Monday mutually agreed to terminate his contract with Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, the club announced.
Al Hilal and Neymar Jr. have agreed to terminate the player’s contract by mutual consent.
— AlHilal Saudi Club (@Alhilal_EN) January 27, 2025
Thank you and good luck,Neymar 💙 pic.twitter.com/9edCVWBGop
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Following the contract termination, Neymar is set to return to Brazilian club Santos, where he first broke out in the soccer world, soccer journalist Fabrizio Romano reported Monday.
🚨💣 Neymar Jr back to Santos, story confirmed and HERE WE GO! ⚪️⚫️🇧🇷
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 27, 2025
Al Hilal have terminated Ney’s contract with immediate effect as the Brazilian will now travel for medical and sign in as new Santos player.
Back to Santos, back to Vila Belmiro.
Ney volta pra casa. 🔙🏡 pic.twitter.com/gmPu9uVdNa
An official announcement by Santos has not yet been made.
Reports of Neymar potentially joining Major League Soccer circulated in mid-January, with the Chicago Fire among the key interested clubs as Inter Miami faced difficulties due to roster rules.
Soccer
Neymar started with Santos' senior team in 2009 and stayed until 2013, scoring 107 goals in 177 games. He then left to Barcelona that year for 88 million euros, via Transfermarkt, which set the stage for his dominance alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
He left Barcelona four years later for French club Paris Saint-Germain, this time for a whopping fee of 222 million euros. After winning two La Ligas and one UEFA Champions League title with Barcelona, he collected five Ligue 1 titles in France, among several other domestic cups.
Brazil's all-time leading scorer, he stunningly left European football for Al Hilal in the summer of 2023, where the Saudi Arabian club secured his signature for 90 million euros.
Despite Al Hilal winning the league in Neymar's first season, he only featured in three league games across his debut and second campaign due to various injuries, including a torn ACL he recently recovered from.
The soon-to-be 33-year-old will look to regain his form at Santos, who promoted back into the country's top division as the Serie B champion following a shock relegation.
He'll likely return to the senior Brazilian team for international games, too, as his presence will be vital for a team in need of a spark ahead of the 2026 World Cup.