Neymar to extend Santos contract, report says

Dubai: Brazilian football star Neymar has reportedly agreed to extend his contract with his boyhood club Santos through the end of 2026.

On Wednesday, Santos — the club made famous by Pele — shared a cryptic social media video showing an aerial view of the Vila Belmiro stadium marked with the date December 31, 2026, alongside the message “The time is coming.” The post made no direct reference to Neymar, whose previous deal expired at midnight on December 31.

Neymar’s first season back at Santos was disrupted by injuries, but the 33-year-old still made a decisive impact late in the campaign. He scored four goals as Santos won their final three matches, climbing out of the relegation zone on the last day of the season in December.

Following the campaign, Neymar underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. Santos confirmed on December 22 that the procedure, carried out by Brazil’s national team doctor, was successful.

A former player for Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Saudi club Al-Hilal, Neymar is Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals, two more than Pelé. He has not featured for the national team since October 2023, when he sustained a knee injury against Uruguay.