New Delhi: Brazil superstar Neymar has ended his contract with Al Hilal by mutual consent after an injury-ravaged spell at the Saudi Pro League giants, it was announced on Tuesday.
The playmaker sustained a knee injury during Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October of 2023 and has since struggled to regain his peak fitness.
The 32-year-old had joined Al Hilal for 90m euros in August 2023 but has only featured seven times for them due to persistent injury problems. He remains the world’s costliest footballer after making a 222-million euros move from French powerhouses Paris St-Germain in 2017.
Due to his anterior cruciate ligament injury, he could make only two appearances this season. His most recent appearance was in November as a substitute.
Al Hilal manager Jorge Jesus had said two weeks ago that he “can no longer play at the level we are used to,” and wasn’t registered to play in the first half of the season.
“Al-Hilal Club Company and Neymar Jr. have agreed to terminate their contractual relationship by mutual consent” Al Hilal said on social media platform X.
“The club expresses its thanks and appreciation to Neymar for what he has provided throughout his career at Al-Hilal, and wish the player success in his career.”
Santos links
Neymar has been recently linked with a return to boyhood club Santos, where he made a name before moving to Spanish giants Barcelona in 2013.
He still had about seven months of his contract remaining at Hilal, having joined on a two-year deal at reportedly a wage of 150m euros per year.
Neymar had risen through the ranks at Santos, where he scored 135 goals in 225 games before moving to Spain, where he won two La Ligas, one Champions League and a Club World Cup before his record-setting move to PSG when he was 25 years.
He helped PSG to five Ligue 1 titles before agreeing to play in Saudi Arabia, after which he surpassed Pele to become Brazil’s leading male scorer with 78 goals, but is yet to play for the national team since his injury in 2023.
Neymar sustained a knee injury during Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023 and has since struggled to regain his peak fitness Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
