Santos close to signing Neymar on loan from Al Hilal: Report

The Brazilian is open to joining his childhood club.

Neymar Jr is close to returning to Santos after the Brazilian team officially submitted a loan offer to sign the forward. Santos are awaiting Al Hilal’s approval; the Saudi club will determine the exact time.

According to reports, the two teams are now in the midst of negotiations, but no deal has been reached as of right now. Between 2009 and 2013, Neymar scored 107 goals in 177 league games while playing for Santos, where he began his career before his move to FC Barcelona.

The 32-year-old was strongly connected to a move to Major League Soccer (MLS) prior to Santos’ interest, with Chicago Fire FC among the interested clubs. Neymar’s contract with Al Hilal is about to end this summer and talks for renewal of his deal look unlikely at the Saudi club.

Al Hilal’s readiness to pay a portion of the forward’s high salary—rumoured to be $107 million a year—was a pivotal element of the discussion. The fact that Neymar was not even registered to play in the domestic league, which allowed for talks between the two parties, indicates that he is not part of Saudi coach Jorge Jesús’s plans.

The financial parameters were also agreed upon by Santos CEO Pedro Martins and President Marcelo Teixeira, who stated that Neymar’s homecoming would be an investment that “pays for itself.”

Neymar’s return to Santos represents the reconciliation of previous disputes and the rekindling of a strained relationship. There he was dubbed an idol after winning important trophies like the Copa do Brasil (2010), three Campeonato Paulistas, and the landmark Copa Libertadores (2011), which ended nearly five-decade shortages in the continental competition.

Unquestionably, the player and his childhood club became estranged after his 2013 transfer to FC Barcelona was marred by legal issues and disagreements with the previous administration. However, signs of reconciliation have surfaced in recent years. Neymar has publicly expressed his love for them, been seen in the stands, and has been seen wearing Santos jerseys on several occasions.

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