Neymar Weighs Up His Options: Miami or Brazil?

Neymar Jr. is back, and with him, the rumors about his future. One of the best footballers of this generation, after leaving Barcelona for Paris and ending up in Saudi Arabia, is looking to finish his career in the best possible way. Physical problems and his decisions have prevented us from seeing this player at his best for longer, but he still has one last chance to say goodbye in style.

He has been injured for over a year, being virtually unused in his current club, but as soon as he returned, there was talk of a departure. His contract ends in 2025, so he could leave for free in the summer after a bumpy stint at Al Hilal.

A footballer whose game depends on his smile and who hasn’t shown that joy on the pitch for a long time. For that reason, he is looking for a destination where he can be happy again, where he can enjoy his passion once more. His options are mainly two and do not depend so much on sporting issues, but rather on emotional ones.

Return to where he was happy Blonde crest, a patch on his nose, and the ability to leave all his rivals behind. That was Neymar at Santos. As a practically child, he made his rivals look like amateurs, with a superiority that soon reached Europe. Those were his beginnings, and the images that arrived in Spain were those of an unparalleled talent who could mark an era. That was the first ‘Ney’, with a swagger and insolence that made the young Brazilian shine in the black and white shirt.

Now, more than a decade later, he has the opportunity to return to the place that saw him grow. Santos has returned to the Brazilian First Division and the footballer has shown his joy on social media: “We’re going back to the place where we should never have left,” the Brazilian posted on his Instagram.

Far from denying the rumors, the club is fueling them even more. The vice-president of the Board of Directors was very blunt when talking about Neymar: “He arrives in June. That’s the conversation we’re having.” Moreover, as if that wasn’t enough, the former PSG player made a video call with the Santos striker in a press conference to celebrate the promotion, adding more links that connect him to the Brazilian team.

Even the coach himself has spoken out about it, saying that “it would be great to have him” and that they have that ambition: “It’s a dream, but let’s dream.” It would certainly not be a move motivated by money, but rather to return to the team he loves, to wear the shirt again with which he made a name for himself in the world of football. To close the circle where it all began.

Return to who he was happy with

The other option is to land in an unknown place, but with ‘old friends’. Where the best Neymar was seen was at Barcelona, forming a dream trident with Messi and Suárez. A relationship that went beyond the pitch. A Uruguayan, a Brazilian, and an Argentine who were completely inseparable and who transferred their good relationship to the game. There he was also happy, until he decided to leave for Paris. Now, many years later, he could reunite with them in the United States.

Inter Miami has, in addition to Luis and Leo, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, forming a team very similar to the one that won the Champions League in 2015 with Luis Enrique. Neymar would be the missing piece, although MLS rules make the signing difficult. The salary cap is quite strict, except for three ‘franchise’ players, but those places are already occupied in the North American club. However, ‘Tata’ Martino is already speaking in a press conference asking for flexibility to make this signing possible: “Having Leo and the rest of the guys already here, anything can happen. What I can’t imagine is if the league doesn’t flex the salary issue, I don’t know how it would be carried out… The rules are strict and can’t be broken, unless MLS decides to change them.”

This speculation comes not only from the relationship that links Neymar to the other players but also because the footballer has already bought a plot of land in Miami for 26 million dollars.

In any case, Neymar’s future seems far from Arabia and the destinations that have appeared speak of the player’s need to recover his smile. It is up to him to decide whether to prioritize the place or the people, but wherever he goes, it would be a real privilege to see one of the best footballers in history happy on the pitch and putting a golden finish to a career that was not always as good as expected.