Europe return or Barcelona comeback? Santos president gives hint on where Neymar will play next season
Neymar’s highly anticipated return to Santos has sparked excitement among Brazilian soccer fans, but his six-month contract raises an intriguing question—will he remain in his homeland, or is this just a short stop before heading back to Europe? While the move is a sentimental homecoming for the 33-year-old Brazilian star, reports suggest it is also a strategic decision to regain form and lay the groundwork for the next chapter of his career.
While Santos is hoping for a long-term stay, multiple reports suggest that Neymar has other plans. According to ESPN, the Brazilian forward is still considering a return to European soccer at the end of the 2024-25 season, despite the club’s efforts to keep him until the World Cup. Also, Sky Germany suggests that the veteran star has his eyes set on a European comeback. Journalist Florian Plettenberg confirmed that Neymar’s short spell back in Brazil is a stepping stone, with a return to Europe already in the pipeline.
This suggests that while Neymar is focused on reviving his career at Santos, his long-term vision may include a return to top European soccer—potentially even Barcelona, where he once starred alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
In fact, Fichajes claimed that Neymar has long harbored hopes of rejoining Barcelona, the club where he achieved global superstardom before his record-breaking €222 million transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.
Although the Blaurgana’s financial struggles have made a permanent deal challenging, the Catalan giants remain a sentimental favorite for Neymar. However, interest from other European clubs could complicate matters if the forward proves he is still at an elite level.
What did Santos president say about Neymar’s future beyond 2025?
Despite growing speculation about a potential European comeback, Santos president Marcelo Teixeira has made it clear that the club is hoping to hold on to Neymar until at least the 2026 World Cup in North America.
Speaking to TV Globo, Teixeira revealed Santos’ long-term ambitions for their returning star: “We intend for him to participate so the club can achieve results in the six-month project, with the prospect of him staying until the World Cup. The project is to make this happen. It is important for him to re-emerge as a great player at home, aiming for the World Cup.”
Teixeira emphasized that Neymar’s identity is deeply tied to his boyhood side, making his return a natural fit for both the player and the club. “Neymar at Santos is an identity that cannot be rejected. If he were to start over at another club, I believe it would be more difficult to reach the brand of a club in Brazil and the world, of Santos’ potential, with Neymar. This is a perfect marriage that has everything to work out.”
This statement suggests that Santos will make every effort to convince Neymar to extend his stay, despite reports that he is eyeing a return to European soccer. “We have already started producing the possibility of a third uniform and changed the color. The idea is for it to be blue, something natural for it to happen so that we can carry out the project of Neymar’s arrival, which involves a lot of responsibility, to sustain the project.”