Ex-Barcelona star 'snubs' Chicago Fire in favour of a return to boyhood club Santos

Former Barcelona star Neymar Jr signed for Al Hilal in 2023, leaving Paris Saint-Germain for a rumoured £77m with a contract that sparked the exodus of European stars heading to the Saudi Pro League.

But Neymar’s spell at Al Hilal has been plagued by injuries and rumours of him wanting to leave - despite having a contract that earns him £88m per year, which doesn’t expire until the summer. Overall, Neymar has played just seven times for Al Hilal, scoring one goal in the process.

The 32-year-old will not be registered by Al Hilal for the second half of the season, and so will not play a single minute of football. Now, the Brazilian is pleading with club executives to terminate his contract early, so that he can ply his trade elsewhere.

Initially, the Brazilian was being linked with a move to Chicago Fire, with the MLS side reportedly keen to get the “complicated” deal over the line, according to BBC Sport. His old Barca teammates, including Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, play for Inter Miami and won the Eastern Conference last season.

Chicago Fire, meanwhile, finished bottom of the league. The MLS transfer window opens on January 31, when most other leagues are shutting up shop.

However, a report from CBS Sports now indicates that Neymar would prefer a return home to his boyhood club. The Brazilian rose through the ranks at Santos when he was a teenager, making his senior debut in 2009 when he was 17 years old. He scored 136 goals in 225 for the club, before getting his dream move to Barcelona in May 2013.