Al-Hilal Manager Delays Neymar Jr.'s Return Until January, Fueling Speculation on Brazilian's Future

Neymar Jr. is one of the most well-known names in football, but the former Barcelona striker's career has taken a catastrophic downturn in recent years, with injuries plaguing him every time he steps on the field to exhibit his talent. Neymar joined the Saudi Pro League team Al-Hilal in 2023 for a record amount, however, he only played five games due to a knee injury that sidelined him for the season. Neymar last played in October 2023 for Brazil in a WC qualifier and has since been recovering since then.  Many people are still wondering when Neymar will return to the field after being sidelined for over a year. 

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When will Neymar Jr. return to play for Al-Hilal?

Manager Jorge Jesus is supposedly inclined to delay his comeback, hence Neymar Jr. is set to be out for Al-Hilal until January. An anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury suffered during Brazil's World Cup qualifier against Uruguay has kept the Brazilian striker off play till October 2023.

Record (via GOAL) indicates that Jorge Jesus would like to postpone his comeback until the new year, despite recent rumours that Neymar would be the approaching one for the star player to be excluded from the list of 8 foreign players that the club will have to register. With this approach, Jesus might register additional foreign players who are now on call for selection. Teams may register up to eight foreign players to highlight local potential according to Saudi Pro League rules, but Al-Hilal currently has nine international players— Neymar is the biggest name on the list.

Neymar would probably only play in a few games before the winter break if he were enrolled now since he may not be fully recovered until November. Jesus would therefore want to utilise the registration space for Renan Lodi, a new summer sign-off. When Neymar is expected to be totally recovered in January, the matter will be reviewed.

Before his injury, Neymar, who moved to Al-Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain on a two-year deal in the summer of 2023, only appeared five times for the team.