Neymar ‘in shock talks to join MLS club’… but Brazil icon won’t reunite with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami
Brazilian football icon Neymar appears to be considering a move to the United States from Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal, with three MLS clubs in the running for his signature.
According to ESPN’s Jeff CarlisleNeymar is in preliminary talks with three teams in the competition.
Of the three clubs, the only one interested was the Chicago Fire, a team that finished second in the league and had just hired Gregg Berhalter, former head coach of the United States men’s national team, as manager.
ESPN also reported that Inter Miami is not among the teams interested in signing the 32-year-old Brazilian winger.
New Inter Miami boss Javier Mascherano said it would be ‘impossible’ to sign Neymar given the restrictions MLS has.
Despite this, ESPN sources in Brazil say the winger still has hopes of reforming the ‘MSN’ frontline with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez with the Herons.
Al Hilal star Neymar is in talks with at least three MLS clubs over a possible US move
It is believed that Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami are not among the teams trying to sign the Brazilian star
Neymar has struggled with a series of injuries since moving to Saudi Arabia in 2023
It has been a difficult period in Saudi Arabia for Neymar, who has been plagued by multiple injuries since making the $97.6 million move in the summer of 2023.
He tore his ACL while on international duty shortly after joining the team. Neymar then returned to the pitch in October before suffering a hamstring injury.
In total, Neymar has only played seven competitive matches in the Saudi Pro League. He also scored just one goal: in an AFC Champions League group match against Nassaji Mazandaran in October 2023.
Despite the injuries, Neymar remains one of the most popular athletes in the sport worldwide, but especially in America.
He started his career with Sao Paulo-based Santos in 2009 and won the Copa Libertadores crown in 2011 before jumping to Barcelona.
Alongside Messi, Suarez and fellow Barcelona MLS players Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, Neymar won the UEFA Champions League crown, two La Liga titles and three Copas del Rey between 2013 and 2017.
Neymar moved to French side Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2017 and won five Ligue 1 titles, three Coupes des France and two Coupes de la Ligue. Messi joined him there in the summer of 2021.
On the international stage, Neymar has made 128 appearances (second only to Cafu) and scored 79 goals – the most of any Brazilian ever. He helped Brazil win a gold medal in football at the 2016 Rio Olympics.