Flamengo president Rodolfo Landim has revealed when Neymar will return after injury, while also responding to a surprise transfer admission.
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Brazil superstar damaged knee ligamentsClosing in on return to actionHas hinted at return to his homelandGettyWHAT HAPPENED?
Brazil international Neymar is currently working his way back from knee ligament damage. He is on the books of Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal, with fitness problems restricting him to just five appearances in the Middle East since completing a switch from Paris Saint-Germain.
AdvertisementWHAT LANDIM SAID
The 32-year-old is close to completing a long road to recovery, with Landim telling of when Neymar will be back and whether he could grace the Maracana at club level in the not too distant future: “I walk down the street and people ask me when I'm going to sign Neymar. And I say: ‘Guys, Neymar earns more per month than two Flamengo salaries. People don't realise the magnitude of things, the amounts involved. The unofficial information is that he earns 70 million per month. I think Neymar is absolutely outstanding, a top player in the world. We have to see how he recovers, but I think he'll recover well because he's a light player. I met him in the locker room and said that he thinks he'll be back in full condition by mid-September.”
Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Neymar recently left the door open for a move to Flamengo to be made, with Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer saying during a visit to the Maracana that saw him don the jersey of fellow Santos academy graduate Gabigol: “I've always said that I want to play for Flamengo, it's obvious that it's the second team in my heart, because the first is Santos.”
WHAT NEXT?
Neymar is only contracted to Al-Hilal until the summer of 2025, with those terms including the option for a further 12-month extension. It may be that he makes the most of an opportunity to head home as a free agent after proving his worth to those in Saudi Arabia.
