'I believe 60% that Neymar will join us' - Santos chief hopeful injury-plagued Al-Hilal star will seal 'dream' homecoming transfer in 2025

Neymar's wretched Al-Hilal spell could be nearing an end after the Brazilian suffered another setback, not long after returning from the ACL injury that sidelined him for more than a year. The Saudi Pro League side have reportedly lost patience with the 32-year-old and won't register him for the second half of the season, paving the way for him to leave in 2025.

The former Paris Saint-Germain attacker may be damaged goods at this point, but one team that is more than ready to take a chance on him is Santos. Neymar made his name at the Brazilian club after coming through their academy, before leaving for Barcelona in 2013. Discussing the rumours linking Neymar with his boyhood team, Santos chief Marcio Calves didn't shy away from expressing his desire to see the superstar make a "dream" return to his old stomping ground.

"There are no official negotiations with Neymar at the moment, but his return to our club is every fan's dream," Calves, executive director at Santos, said, per Mundo Deportivo. "Neymar's relationship with Santos is wonderful. He started his career here and the possibility of his return depends on his desire and his performance with Al Hilal."

He added: "I believe 60% that Neymar will join us when his contract with Al Hilal ends. He can accept leaving because he loves Santos and is thinking about going to the 2026 World Cup."

It's not a stretch to call Neymar's switch to Al-Hilal one of the worst transfers in football history. He's set to be out of action for at least a month, and there's now a real chance that he will leave having made just seven appearances for the club.