- Brazilian star under contract in France
- Linked with another move in 2023
- Intends to return to his homeland
WHAT HAPPENED? A return to his roots does not appear to be on the cards for the 31-year-old forward just yet, with more speculation to be found regarding a potential retracting of steps to Barcelona or a summer transfer to the Premier League. The Brazil international is, however, making no secret of the fact that he intends to head back to where it all began for him before the day comes for professional boots to be hung up for the last time.
WHAT THEY SAID: Neymar has told Band Sports: “The life of a footballer is very dynamic. Sometimes you are in one place and then it changes. Obviously I dream of playing again in Brazil, I dream of playing again for Santos. I hope that it can happen one day. day. Football is full of surprises.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Neymar continues to make plenty of headlines on and off the field in 2023, as he operates under the brightest of spotlights, but he has fired back at those who remain quick to criticise his lifestyle. He added: “I never run away from any accusation. Rather the opposite. I always hit my chest and say 'you can charge me'. I know my talent, I know what I can do. Football is not individual. If it was individual I would have already achieved all my goals, but it is not. Obviously the load is very high because of my name. Both on the field and outside. Sometimes I don't agree with a lot of criticism because it's my personal life and I do what I want. On the pitch, you can speak freely.”
IN TWO PHOTOS:
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT? Neymar has not taken in a competitive appearance since February 19, as he recovers from an ankle injury that required surgery, and it remains to be seen whether he will be adding to the 173 appearances and 118 goals that have been registered across six years in France.