Santos chief tells Neymar: Time to come home

SAO PAULO, Brazil (AFP) — Santos’ president told Brazilian superstar Neymar it was “time to return to (his) people” in a video published on social media on Tuesday.

Club president Marcelo Teixeira took to Instagram to deliver the message to Neymar but did not officially confirm the 32-year-old’s return to the club where he first broke through in 2009.

“The time has come, Neymar. The time has come for you to return to your people. To your home, to our beloved club,” Teixeira said.

“Welcome back, Ney boy!... Come and be happy again in the sacred jersey. The Santos nation awaits you with open arms.”

“What a pain it is to pack,” joked Neymar on his Instagram account on Tuesday, prior to Teixeira’s statement.

Neymar’s contract with Saudi side Al Hilal was terminated by mutual consent on Monday, bringing to an end an injury-plagued 18-month stint in Riyadh.

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward played just seven matches for the club after joining Al Hilal in August 2023, despite a reported salary of around $104 million a year.

Neymar came through the Santos academy and went on to make 225 appearances for the Brazilian Serie A side, netting 136 times.

He joined Barcelona in 2013, winning the Champions League two years later as part of a star-studded team also featuring Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

In 2017, Qatar-owned Paris Saint-Germain prised him away from Barca with what is still a world-record transfer fee of 220 million euros ($230 million).

Neymar is Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 128 matches, two ahead of fellow ex-Santos player Pele.