- Neymar only recently returned from a knee injury that disrupted his first season
- His move to Al-Hilal in the summer of 2023 generated a lot of attention after his departure from PSG
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Neymar’s time in Saudi Arabia has bordered on disaster so far, but there is one player who looks set to get even worse as it makes way for the Brazilian’s inclusion in Al-Hilal’s Saudi Pro League squad.
Amid a slew of European stars joining the emerging division in the wake of Cristiano Ronaldo’s historic arrival, Neymar was perhaps the name that stood out the most after leaving PSG in 2023.
Previously regarded by many as a player that only Lionel Messi and Ronaldo could claim was better, joining the Saudi Pro League at just 31 years old was a decision that took many by surprise.
However, his first season was over almost as soon as it started after the magician suffered a devastating knee injury in October 2023 after just five appearances for his club.
He made his return in October this year but suffered another injury scare in early November, leading to reports that he may be released from his £130m-a-year contract with Al-Hilal in January.
However, the fact that he has now been re-signed to the club – at the expense of former Chelsea flop Kalidou Koulibaly – could indicate that he has a future at Al-Hilal.
Al-Hilal have re-registered Neymar to their Saudi Pro League squad at the expense of a former Chelsea star
Kalidou Koulibaly (No. 26) has been removed from the squad and will have his contract terminated or loaned out
Neymar has made just seven appearances since joining Al-Hilal following a knee injury suffered last season
While there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding Neymar’s future, Al-Hilal have reportedly already reached the decision that they will terminate Koulibaly’s contract or loan him out until the end of 2026.
It marks a new phase in the downfall of a player who was previously considered one of the very best in Europe.
Koulibaly received widespread praise for his spell at Napoli, where he quickly became one of the southern Italy side’s key players before making a big-money move to Chelsea for £34 million in 2022.
But after a disappointing spell in west London, the Senegal international was sold to Al-Hilal the following summer, where he failed to return to the form that saw him become a leading star.
For Neymar, however, it is a chance to finally get to work with the Saudi team, for whom he has made just seven appearances in over a year, and prove that he deserves a new contract.
Al-Hilal have performed well without Neymar, with the club winning the Saudi Pro League title last season and this season are engaged in what appears to be a two-horse race for the crown.
With ten wins, a draw and a loss after twelve games, they are two points behind Al-Ittihad of Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante fame, while Aleksandar Mitrovic is their top scorer with 19 goals in all competitions.
Al-Hilal have also won the Super Cup and are involved in both the Asian Champions League and Kings Cup, and will set their sights on the FIFA Club World Cup at the end of the campaign.