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Neymar has turned down a reunion with Lionel Messi at Inter Milan in favor of a return to Santos, according to acclaimed journalist Fabrizio Romano. The Brazilian forward's contract with Al-Hilal expires at the end of this season and he hasn't been handed a new deal yet.
His time with the Saudi club has been a disaster, with the player managing just one goal and three assists from seven games since arriving in 2023. Al-Hilal have apparently decided against registering him for the second half of the season, further hinting that his time at the club is coming to an end.
The situation has added to speculation regarding his future and Neymar has been linked with a sensational reunion with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Inter Miami. The three of them forged the fabled 'MSN' trio at Barcelona that tormented opposition defenses for three seasons.
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However, it now appears that the Brazilian has turned down a reunion with his former mates in favor of a return to his alma mater. Neymar rose through the ranks at Santos, helping them win the Copa Libertadores for the first time in 50 years in 2011.
He registered 136 goals and 64 assists from 225 games across competitions for the Brazilian club, before leaving in 2013 to join the Catalans. The 32-year-old is now all set to return to the Vila Belmiro this month.
The Brazilian will now be hoping for a fresh start ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Santos have already submitted an offer to take their former player back on a six-month loan in January. Meanwhile, Lionel Messi's contract with Inter Miami also expires in December this year.
How many trophies have Lionel Messi and Neymar won together?
Neymar and Lionel Messi shared the pitch 206 times for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), contributing 67 goals together. The duo won two league titles, one Champions League, three Copa del Rey, one Supercopa de Espana, and one FIFA Club World Cup together at Camp Nou.
Their partnership was initially broken in 2017, when the Brazilian left the Catalans to complete a blockbuster move to the Parc des Princes. However, La Pulga went on to join the Parisians in the summer of 2021, as a free agent, and was reunited with the Brazilian. They won two league titles and one Trophee des Champions with PSG, before both left the club in the summer of 2023.
