Brazil's all-time top scorer is reportedly set to leave Al Hilal on loan after an 18-month injury layoff in the Saudi Pro League.
After months of speculation, Neymar is finally on the verge of ending his disappointing spell with Saudi Pro League team Al Hilal. The Brazilian has played just a handful of games during his injury-hit 18 months at the club and is reportedly ready to leave on loan.
Local media report that Neymar is close to a deal to return to Santos, his first club in home country Brazil. The 32-year-old spent a decade at the club across the youth and senior sides before leading the team to its first Copa Libertadores success in almost 50 years.
Neymar has six months left on his lucrative contract with Al Hilal and could join Santos on loan for the remainder of that time. Santos has reportedly submitted a formal loan proposal and expects the Saudi club to approve the move.
Injuries limited Neymar to just seven appearances for Al Hilal in 18 months with the team. After committing $98 million in a transfer fee and a further $107 million per year in salary, Neymar's on-field performances have fallen somewhat short of justifying a $300 million outlay.
A return to Santos would be a romantic move for a player who took the team to new heights in the early years of his glittering career. Neymar made his Santos debut in 2009 at the age of 17 and quickly became the focal point of the attack. He scored fourteen goals in his first full season. By 2012, at the age of 20, Neymar had already scored 100 goals and it was clear that a move to one of European football's elite clubs beckoned.
Neymar's struggles in Saudi Arabia have left Neymar at the forefront of many football fans' minds, but he remains an elite talent with the ability to do something special upon his return to Santos. If he manages to regain some of the form from his first spell at the club, Neymar's homecoming could be a fitting coda to a great career.
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