Neymar’s return to Al Hilal remains uncertain, according to head coach Jorge Jesus.
The Saudi Pro League boss confirmed the Brazilian star is still not ready after being sidelined for nearly a year due to a serious knee injury.
Neymar, 32, joined the Saudi Arabia side in 2023, but has only managed to play five games before suffering a meniscus and ACL tear while on international duty in October.
He underwent surgery and resumed training in July, but Jesus has tempered expectations in his recent press conference.
He said: “Neymar is an important player for Al Hilal and the league in general.
“I can’t, however, specify a date as to when he will return, but we will look at the situation in January.”
#FÚTBOL ⚽
Neymar se rompió el menisco y el ligamento cruzado anterior en octubre pasado y su vuelta al fútbol todavía es una incertidumbre.https://t.co/HlvRRdHC0C
— ESPN Perú (@ESPNPeru) September 25, 2024
Neymar will be eligible for registration with Al Hilal in January, allowing him to participate in the second half of the SPL season if he can regain his fitness.
During the first half of the campaign, he has been left out for Marcos Leonardo, a new signing from Benfica.
SPL teams are limited to registering a maximum of eight foreign players over the age of 21, meaning it made sense to leave the 32-year-old out.
His current contract with the club runs until August 2025 and there is a real possibility he could leave without making another appearance.
