NEYMAR is set for an emotional transfer – after a rival club shot him down in brutal fashion.
The Brazilian star, 32, is at a crossroads in his career once again.
His £78million move to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal has not worked out as planned.
The ex-Barcelona and PSG forward missed a year of action following ACL surgery just weeks after making the big-money switch.
He suffered yet another physical setback soon after his comeback when he injured his hamstring and limped off.
And there has even been talk of Al-Hilal – who won the Saudi Pro League title without their biggest name – ripping up his lucrative £2.5m-a-week contract early.
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That has led to transfer speculation over Neymar’s future as he approaches the swansong of his career.
And that includes a return back to his homeland Brazil.
However, Palmeiras ruled out a swoop for the three-time Champions League winner in a savage dig.
Club president Leila Pereira insisted to UOL they were not interested in the injury-prone forward.
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She said: “I want to invest in someone who can come in immediately, who can start tomorrow if the coach decides.
“Palmeiras is not a medical department.
“I do not accept that a player signed by Palmeiras is not ready to play immediately.”
Instead, though, Pereira seemingly revealed where Neymar will go next.
She added: “Great player, but he’s going to Santos.”
Neymar came through the youth academy at Santos and announced himself on the world stage as a teenager before earning his move to Barcelona.
And now it looks as though he could go full circle by heading back to Santos to finish his career – and enjoy the £7m six-acre private island he has reportedly splashed out on.
Reports in Brazil claim Neymar is ready to make the transfer home and an agreement is in place.
Now it is simply a matter of working out the termination of the Al-Hilal contract and then figuring the best time to make the huge announcement.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
