Santos Prepares Contract Offer to Keep Neymar Through 2027

A few months ago, Neymar had put the word retirement on the table. Now the conversation at Vila Belmiro is a different one entirely: Santos is already working on an offer to keep the number 10 wearing the Peixe jersey through 2027.

According to information obtained by ESPN, the Sao Paulo club has approached people in his camp with a proposal to extend the deal by one more year. The news lines up with what's been said behind the scenes: sources close to the player say that despite the injuries that sidelined him for much of the year, Neymar feels comfortable at Vila Belmiro and isn't thinking about winding down his career anytime soon. In fact, he has reportedly made clear internally, more than once, his wish to stay.

That said, both sides wanting the same thing doesn't mean the paperwork is done. There's a major obstacle in the way, and it's political: Santos holds presidential elections at the end of the year, and the current president, Marcelo Teixeira, hasn't yet confirmed whether he'll seek reelection. Until that question is settled, it's tough to close any long term renewal.

Libertadores, the Other Key to the Future

The second factor has to do directly with what happens on the field. Relegation looks like a scare that's been put to rest, but it's still not guaranteed that the club will play in next year's Copa Libertadores. That qualification isn't a small detail: it would make the renewal much easier and open the door to higher level reinforcements to compete. If instead Santos only manages to qualify for the Sudamericana, the picture changes quite a bit, since the budget gap between playing in one competition versus the other is considerable.

And if things get complicated on that front, there's a backup plan still simmering: several MLS clubs remain interested in Neymar, an alternative that, for now, stays open.

While all of this gets sorted out in the front offices, the player has his mind set on getting back on the field. Neymar hasn't played since Santos was eliminated in the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals against Palmeiras in early September, when he was already dealing with discomfort. He's expected to finish recovering from his hamstring injury and could be available this Thursday, when Santos hosts Flamengo in the Brasileirao.

Between waiting on an institutional decision and getting back to training, Neymar's present at Santos has more questions than answers right now. But one thing seems clear: neither the club nor the player is thinking about an immediate goodbye.