"He deserves more respect than he gets" - England star believes Neymar Jr is the most underrated player in football
English winger Bukayo Saka believes Brazil and Al-Hilal star Neymar Jr is the most underrated player in football. The experienced forward missed most of the 2023-24 season through injury after rupturing his ACL and meniscus early in the campaign.
Arsenal's Saka is considered one of the best wingers in world football at the moment, and his performances in recent seasons have backed this claim. The 22-year-old finished the 2023-24 season with 20 goals and 14 assists across competitions for his club, earning rave reviews.
Bukayo Saka sat down with talkSPORT for an interview, where he had to answer a number of questions. When asked about a player he perceives to be underrated in world football, he quickly named Neymar, speaking about how much people disrespect the Brazilian forward.
"I think people talk about him (Neymar) but I think he should be spoken about more, and I think he deserves more respect than he gets. Personally, that's what I feel."
The Brazilian forward has long been in the public eye, having broken through as a teenager with Santos in Brazil. The 32-year-old was at Barcelona from 2013 to 2017, where he formed a potent attacking trident alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. He won the UEFA Champions League in Spain before completing a world-record €222 million move to PSG in 2017.
Neymar moved to the Saudi Pro League last summer, joining Al-Hilal, but has hardly featured for the side due to injury. The forward is Brazil's highest-ever goalscorer, having surpassed Pele's long-standing record in 2023. He is one of only three Brazilian players to score in three editions of the FIFA World Cup.
Arsenal legend claims he wants Neymar to join the Gunners
Arsenal legend Gilberto Silva has claimed that he would love to see compatriot Neymar play for the Premier League side before he retires. Silva said in an interview with Bet365 that he considers a deal for the forward to be possible, even if it is unlikely.
“I’d love to see Neymar in the Premier League with Arsenal. Let’s see. It’s not impossible that he could join Arsenal, why not?” Gilberto Silva said.
The former Barcelona and PSG man broke the world transfer record in 2017 when he moved to PSG and broke the Saudi transfer record when he joined Al-Hilal last summer for €90 million. The Brazilian star has one year left on his contract with the Saudi giants and is unlikely to leave before the end of his deal.
Neymar is one of the best-paid players in the world, and while a marquee signing could do Arsenal a world of good, they are unlikely to be able to afford him. The forward is also reportedly keen to return to Brazil before the end of his career.