Neymar Jr unlikely to feature for Al-Hilal until January as Saudi club's manager eager to delay Brazilian star's return - Reports
Neymar Jr is unlikely to feature for Al-Hilal before January as manager Jorge Jesus is reportedly eager to delay his comeback. The Brazilian forward hasn't played since October 2023, when he picked up an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during Brazil's World Cup qualifier game against Uruguay.
While recent reports stated Neymar is close to a return, Record (via GOAL) have claimed Al-Hilal manager Jorge Jesus would prefer to delay his comeback until January. Jesus would prefer to register his other available foreign players this summer, which can only be done if Neymar is temporarily kept unregistered in the Saudi Pro League.
SPL guidelines allow each club to register eight foreign players to encourage the growth of local talents. Al-Hilal already have nine international players in the squad, including Neymar.
If the Brazilian is registered, he will only be available for a couple of games for Al-Hilal before the winter break, as he is unlikely to be fully fit before November. Jesus would therefore prefer to register summer signing Renan Lodi instead of Neymar. The Al-Hilal boss will revisit his case in January once he is fully fit.
The former Barcelona forward joined Al-Hilal from Paris St-Germain (PSG) on a two-year deal in the summer of 2023. However, he could only play five games for the club before the unfortunate injury.
Neymar named Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo among his top picks for the 2024 Ballon d'Or
In an interview with beIN Sports earlier this year, Neymar named his Brazil teammates Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo among his top three picks for the 2024 Ballon d'Or. He said:
"Vini Júnior, first; Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham next, tied, and obviously Mbappé enters the fight among those three."
Despite his prediction, Real Madrid star Rodrygo did not make it to the 30-man shortlist for the men's Ballon d'Or. On September 5, Neymar took to Instagram to show support to his teammate. Alongside a picture of Rodrygo, Neymar wrote:
"Minimum top 5 in the world."
The Selecao star firmly believed Vinicius Jr will pick up his first Ballon d'Or award in 2024, and told beIn Sports:
"Obviously the Ballon d'Or is his [Vinicius], I hope so. I sent him a message before the final (Champions League, against Borussia Dortmund) and another afterward. He is surely going to win the Ballon d'Or, he is incredible and proudly wears the colors of our country around the world."
The coveted award is set to be presented in Paris on October 28. The Al-Hilal forward himself boasts nine nominations for the award.