In the very near future, Neymar Junior will leave Al Hilal on loan, although it will effectively be a permanent departure as his contract with the reigning Saudi Pro League champions expires at the end of the season. If rumors are to be believed, he's heading to one of his former hotspots.
Neymar has struggled since leaving Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023. He became the big name in Saudi Arabia together with Cristiano Ronaldo, but he had a much more difficult time than the Portuguese, and a cruciate ligament rupture exacerbated this misery.
Neymar is almost certain to return to boyhood club Santos, although he could have been an option for Barcelona. According to a report from COPE's Victor Navarro, the Catalans recently got the chance to bring back one of their best players of the last fifteen years.
The news comes days after Barcelona sporting director Deco stated that Neymar is still more than good enough to play for any club in the world, despite his problems in recent years. He clearly saw the Brazilian as a good option for Hansi Flick's squad, but understandably a move would not have been appreciated at all due to the club's well-documented financial problems.
It's a shame for Barcelona in this regard, as left is a position they are keen to tackle in the final days of the winter transfer window. Marcus Rashford is the player wanted, although a deal won't be possible unless Ansu Fati moves on – and this seems highly unlikely as he is determined to hold out in Catalonia.
It will be interesting to see how Neymar will do back in Brazil. A return to his home country and boyhood club gives him the chance to restart the final years of his playing career, and he still has ambitions to regain his place in the national team.
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