Neymar wants to continue at Santos beyond this summer, according to his father and agent Neymar da Silva Santos Sr.
The Brazil star rejoined his boyhood club on Jan. 31 signing a contract until June after terminating his deal with Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal by mutual consent.
Injuries had limited Neymar to just seven games for Al Hilal since joining the club in a €90 million ($94m) transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in August 2023.
“Our project is not just for five months, it is a contract that we are considering renewing,” Neymar Sr. told TNT Brasil. “We didn’t come here to compete for five months, it was to give Santos the opportunity to restructure itself, to find partners for the club to rebuild itself.”
Neymar, 33, scored his first goal for Santos since returning to Brazil when he converted a penalty he had earned in his team’s 3-1 win over Agua Santa in Sunday’s São Paulo state championship game.
He celebrated by kissing the team’s badge on his jersey.
The former Barcelona star also set up Guilherme for Santos’ third goal.
“Important win, well done team, let’s go SANTOS,” Neymar wrote on Instagram.
Neymar, who has not managed to play all 90 minutes in a game for Santos so far, said he is focusing on the present rather than thinking about his future.
Asked about his father’s comments, Neymar said after Sunday’s game: “Let’s take it easy. It’s a contract we made not just between the two of us. One is helping the other. Santos opened the doors for me to reacquaint myself with football, with my joy. I didn’t sign a long contract because I didn’t know how I was going to get back, how I was going to feel in those months. Anything can happen.”
Santos president Marcelo Teixeira is hopeful Neymar will remain at the club at least until the 2026 World Cup. However, sources told ESPN that the player’s wish is to return to play in Europe next season. Moreover, that he is using his time at Santos to recover his technical and physical abilities after the ACL injury that kept him sidelined for over a year until October 2024.
Neymar has reason to be cautious. He recently recovered from a hamstring injury he picked up in November in just his second game back for Al Hilal after being sidelined for a year following a torn ACL and meniscus in his left knee.
“As long as I’m on the field I will give myself 100%,” Neymar added. “Let’s take it easy, let’s wait for these moments, enjoy these games. Santos knows the love I feel for this club, the respect I have for them. It’s the beginning of a great era for Santos, I’m sure Santos will rise again and return to the top.”
Santos are back in Brazil’s Serie A, a year after being relegated for the first time.
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