Brazil star forward Neymar is closing in on a return to his former club Santos, sources told ESPN on Sunday.
Neymar remains on the roster of Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal, but the team’s manager Jorge Jesus said earlier in January that the Brazilian attacker can “no longer play at the level we are used to,” and wasn’t registered to play in the Saudi Pro League, leaving Neymar eligible to play only in the Asian Champions League.
As a result, Neymar has been looking for his next playing opportunity, and appears to have found it with the club with which he began his professional career.
Sources tell ESPN that Neymar’s contract with Al Hilal likely will be terminated, but the final details are still being negotiated.
The two sides are expected to meet early this week with the hope of reaching an agreement. If that occurs, Neymar is set to sign a six-month contract, which will have an option to be extended an additional year, with Santos.
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If the deal with Santos is completed, Neymar is set to travel to Brazil this week, and could play for Santos as soon as Feb. 5.
By terminating his Al Hilal contract, which ran through this summer, Neymar would walk away from about $65 million.
Sources told ESPN he could make up at least some of the shortfall by having himself and his father, Neymar Santos Sr., become part of an investment fund that includes shares in Santos.
However, ESPN Brazil is reporting that Neymar is still determined to recoup the money from Al Hilal and that any deal involving shares in Santos would be extremely difficult to execute in the short term.
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