'Nobody offered us Neymar' - Pachuca deny speculation about interest in ex-Barcelona star, adding 'nor did we go after him'

Pachuca is gearing up for their Club World Cup debut on June 18 against Salzburg, now under the guidance of Jaime Lozano, who recently stepped in as head coach following Guillermo Almada’s departure.

Los Tuzos have strengthened their roster with key additions such as Agustín Palavecino (from Necaxa), Robert Kenedy (from Real Valladolid), and José Castillo (from Chivas).

The club isn’t ruling out more signings. Among the names circulating is Uruguayan defender Federico Pereira, a Liga MX champion with Toluca. There has also been speculation around Neymar Jr., with Spanish outlets suggesting Pachuca had a genuine interest in bringing him in for the tournament.

Pachuca president Armando Martínez denied any negotiations with the Brazilian superstar, saying in an interview with Radio Fórmula:

“I think someone threw his name out there hoping another team in the tournament would bite. I don’t even use social media, and yet I started getting texts. Nobody offered us Neymar, nor did we go after him. To be honest, I even called Jesús (Martínez) to ask if it was true - because you never know with him - and he said, ‘Of course not, especially with everything we owe.' "

Neymar is under contract with Santos F.C. until the end of June. He hasn’t signed a renewal, making him a potential free agent this summer. Since 2023, he has made only 27 appearances, scoring just three goals in 12 games for Santos, missing several matches due to injury.

Martínez acknowledged that the club is under time pressure and still needs to bolster its attack and possibly sign a goalkeeper as a precaution, saying, “Landing a big-name signing is very unlikely at this point. We’re on a tight schedule and have key areas that still need reinforcement.”

Additionally, he revealed that Pachuca originally aimed to recruit high-performing Mexican players. However, the Gold Cup call-ups have complicated those plans.

“We had high hopes of signing top Mexican talent," he said, "but it’s tough. El Vasco (Javier Aguirre) is assembling the best squad possible for the Gold Cup, which limits our options."

The Mexican side kick off their Club World Cup campaign on June 18 against Red Bull Salzburg. From there, they face a daunting path with matches against Real Madrid and Saudi powerhouse Al Hilal.