No, you’re not dreaming, it is the year 2025. You might be wondering how on earth, then, we are sitting here discussing the possibility of Neymar returning to Barcelona this summer. After all, the Brazilian has just turned 33 years old and has only played 13 games of football in the past two seasons. I’m not going to blame you for scratching your head. However, this is the world of football transfers, and the world of Barcelona football club, which means: don’t rule anything out. As reported by my colleague David Ornstein, this idea is being explored behind the scenes. I’ll start by laying out the state of play. Neymar signed a six-month deal with his boyhood club Santos last month, after reaching an agreement with his Saudi club Al Hilal to leave on a free transfer. He moved to Saudi for €90 million in 2023 and scored once in seven appearances, with his stay disrupted massively by the anterior cruciate ligament injury he suffered while playing for Brazil just months after he joined. His short-term contract at Santos will, in theory, allow him to get back in shape – and he has made a bright start, scoring twice in his six appearances so far. Despite the stuttering return with Al Hilal after his ACL injury, Neymar is now on a mission. It is no secret that Brazil’s record goalscorer has pushed to come back to Barcelona multiple times since he joined PSG in 2017 for a fee of €222 million – which remains a world record. Neymar never felt as comfortable in Paris as he did in Barcelona, and his entourage have let the club know that for years. In 2019, the Barcelona president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, tried and failed to bring him back. Four years later, when Neymar left PSG to join Al Hilal, he tested the waters with Barcelona before committing to Saudi. At that time, the Catalans were drowning in a financial turmoil and they could not even dream of paying a fee to PSG. Neymar accepted the reality of the situation and agreed to join Al Hilal.
His return to Santos will, in theory, allow him to get back in shape – and he has made a bright start, scoring twice in his six appearances so far. In 2019, the Barcelona president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, tried and failed to bring him back. Four years later, when Neymar left PSG to join Al Hilal, he tested the waters with Barcelona before committing to Saudi. At that time, the Catalans were drowning in a financial turmoil and they could not even dream of paying a fee to PSG.
Pini Zahavi, the player’s agent, is a key figure when it comes to trying to understand what is happening here. Zahavi holds a tight friendship with the Barca president Joan Laporta, who has sanctioned in recent years the arrival of two of Zahavi’s biggest clients: Robert Lewandowski and Hansi Flick. The relationship between the agent and the executive has been essential in those transfers, and will surely be again in the future; Jonathan Tah, the Bayer Leverkusen centre-back available on a free this summer, is another player managed by Zahavi who has been linked with Barcelona. With the club due to be playing at the renovated Camp Nou in 2025-26, the arrival of a star name like Neymar would be appealing to Laporta – to celebrate the return to the stadium and to help sell out the 60,000 seats initially available when the team does return.
As he has done with Lewandowski, Flick may have a different approach for Neymar, encouraging him to be more of a wide player who uses his speed and skill to cause problems for opponents. Neymar would, in theory, be the perfect fit for Flick’s system, as he has the ability to play anywhere across the front line and incorporate himself into the press. As far as his fitness is concerned, Neymar has given no indication that he is not ready to return to his best. In his last four appearances for Santos, the Brazilian has scored six goals and provided five assists, demonstrating his ability to make an impact on the game.
Neymar would have some influential allies inside the dressing room, including the club captain and star performer this season, Raphinha, who has always been close to Neymar from their time together with the Brazil national team. Then there is Lamine Yamal, who grew up worshipping Neymar. The two met at the Globe Soccer Awards Gala in December and have been interacting with each other on social media in the months since.
There are many reasons why Barcelona might be willing to take a punt on Neymar, even at 33, but the main one is that he would be a massive draw, both on and off the pitch. His return would be a major coup for Laporta, who is desperate to revitalize the club’s image and make them more attractive to potential new signings. Neymar’s signing would be a major statement of intent, showing that Barcelona are willing to think outside the box and go for big, marketable stars, even if they are older. From a commercial perspective, it makes perfect sense for Barcelona to take a flyer on Neymar, given his global reputation and following.
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