Saudi Arabia club Al-Hilal said Monday it reached an agreement with striker Neymar to terminate his contract by mutual consent.
Neither side confirmed details of the termination after the 32-year-old Brazilian, once hailed as one of the world's best players, played only seven matches for the club, with only one goal and two assists.
Despite being sidelined since October 2023 due to an ACL injury, former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar was part of the squad that won last season's Saudi league.
Their deal was due to expire after Al-Hilal's participation in this year's FIFA Club World Cup, which will be played between June 15 and July 13 in the United States.
The club said in a statement published on its social media channels that it “expresses its thanks and appreciation to Neymar for what he has provided throughout his career with Al-Hilal.”
The striker joined the Saudi club from Paris Saint-Germain in August 2023 for 90 million euros ($94 million), in one of many transactions that placed the Kingdom as one of the new big soccer markets in the world. But Neymar picked up his ACL injury, the most serious of his career, playing for Brazil only months after he joined Al-Hilal.
Neymar returned in October and had his most recent appearance for the Saudi club in November. The Brazilian said in different interviews there were doubts on whether coach Jorge Jesus would count on him for the rest of the season.
Brazilian media has reported that Neymar and his father are interested in a six-month return to his boyhood club Santos, where he achieved national fame and his first caps for Brazil before he joined Barcelona in 2013.
Brazil national team coach Dorival Júnior has said since the end of last year that Neymar is not fully recovered for international soccer either. In March, his team will play against leader Argentina in South American World Cup qualifying, and Neymar is once again unlikely to play.
Neymar, Brazil's all-time top goal scorer with 79 goals in 125 matches, has said he is focused on getting more playing time so he can best prepare for the World Cup in North America next year, in what could be his last shot at winning the tournament.
