Fans hoping for an MSN reunion in south Florida will have to keep waiting as Neymar has decided to stick around with his boyhood club, Santos, after agreeing to a new deal.
Neymar, 33, will stay at Santos for another six months, according to Cahê Mota. While Santos would've reportedly preferred to have a longer extension in place through the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the agreed deal allows the player to keep his options open during transfer windows. His new deal will keep him at Santos through the end of the Brasileirão season. Games were postponed amid the Club World Cup so the new deal works for both parties in multiple ways.
If he's able to stay fit and get meaningful minutes for the rest of the season, Carlo Ancelotti could be tempted to call upon him next year. Though, the Brazilian has struggled for consistent minutes since moving to Al-Hilal in 2023. After making 112 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain from 2017 through 2023, Neymar made just seven appearances for the Saudi Arabian side.
Since returning to Santos, a hamstring injury has kept him out of seven Brasileirão games. He captained his side twice in the league, but was suspended from Santos's last game on June 12 against Fortaleza. He did score three goals and provide three assists in the Paulista Championship back in February and March, but was named to the bench against Corinthians in the semifinals which Santos subsequently lost.
Inter Miami fans held out hope that the special Club World Cup transfer window could've reunited Neymar with his former Barcelona teammates, but nothing came to fruition. Talks of a move to Major League Soccer remain premature, but given the structure behind the contract rumors could heat up come the end of the calendar year.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Agreement Reached’— Neymar Makes Future Decision Amid Inter Miami Fans Hope.
