The Brazilian forward joined the Riyadh team in August 2023 but managed to participate in only five matches before undergoing surgery due to a rupture of his meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee while representing his national team in October.
After Neymar, 32, resumed training in July, there was increased speculation regarding his potential comeback. However, coach Jorge Jesus tempered those expectations during a post-match press conference.
“Neymar is a key player for both Al-Hilal and the league as a whole,” stated Jesus, who guided Al-Hilal to their 19th league title in May. “I cannot provide a specific timeline for his return, but we will assess the situation in January.”
Neymar will be eligible for registration by Al-Hilal in January for the latter half of the Saudi Pro League (SPL) season.
As SPL teams are permitted to register a maximum of eight foreign players over the age of 21, Neymar’s spot in the roster for the first half of the league was filled by Marcos Leonardo, who was signed from Benfica in early September.
Once he regains full fitness, Neymar, whose two-year contract concludes next August, will be eligible to participate in Al-Hilal’s ongoing AFC Champions League campaign, as there are no restrictions on the number of foreign players in that competition.