All posts by h716a5.icu

Liverpool have been heavily linked to Darwin Nunez and the speculation has certainly ramped up since it was reported that Sadio Mane may leave this summer, but now a new update has emerged that suggests the Reds may have made their move.

What’s the latest?

According to Portuguese news outlet Record, Liverpool have now made a club-record offer for the Benfica star.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-liverpool-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-salah-gnabry-isak-romano” title= “Read the latest Liverpool news!”]

As per the report, the Merseyside giants are said to have tabled an offer of €100m (£85m) to secure a deal for Nunez this summer.

The news has further been backed up by Dominic King this morning with the popular journalist tweeting:

“Liverpool want to sign Darwin Nunez and are prepared to smash their transfer record to get him.”

Klopp loves him

There is no doubt that Jurgen Klopp will be thrilled to have Nunez join the squad at Anfield, and clearly already loves him as he was full of praise for the striker when Liverpool faced Benfica in the quarter-finals of the Champions League last season.

The German coach claimed in his pre-match press conference for the second tie (via Sky Sports Premier League):

“An extremely good looking boy eh?! He was calm for the finish. He is good, really good. If he stays healthy, he has a big career ahead of him.”

Nunez who was hailed a “diamond” by Steve McManaman has been attracting attention from some of the biggest clubs in the world following a highly impressive season for Benfica, with Manchester United and Atletico Madrid both name-dropped as interested parties by King in his aforementioned tweet.

The 22-year-old has scored 34 goals and contributed four assists in 41 appearances across all competitions for his Portuguese side which is phenomenal for a youngster, and his 26 league goals saw him become the top goal-scorer in the Primeira Liga during the 2021/22 campaign.

It is clear that Klopp views the goal machine as a good fit for his formidable forward line that already boasts top talent like Mohamed Salah and he would be an idyllic replacement for Mane’s goal contributions should the Senegalese winger move on this summer.

With that being said, if Liverpool can beat their competitors for the signing by making the club record-breaking transfer bid there will be high expectations on the young striker to adopt a lot of responsibility in the front three next season.

AND in other news: Liverpool plot bid to sign “glorious” £64m “nightmare”, he’s better than Darwin Nunez

According to reliable journalist Pete O’Rourke, Tottenham manager Antonio Conte will be ‘impressed’ with the speed with which chairman Daniel Levy managed to complete the signing of Ivan Perisic.

The Lowdown: Levy’s 2022 transfer business

When Levy has been going about his business in previous transfer windows, he has often waited until the very last minute to get deals over the line, with a prime example being the deadline day arrivals of Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur in January.

It was reported by ESPN on May 20 that Spurs were exploring the possibility of a move for Perisic despite Juventus seemingly leading the race for his signature at that point. Just 11 days later, the north Londoners announced the former Inter Milan ace as their first signing of the summer.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s Spurs praise

O’Rourke has suggested that Conte must be happy with how quickly Tottenham managed to sign the veteran Croatia winger.

Off the back of that transfer, the journalist told GiveMeSport: “Conte’s got to be impressed with that. I know Antonio Conte would want all of his targets signed before pre-season starts, so he can have his full squad in fact from the get-go but getting Perisic in on a free transfer looks a good piece of business by Tottenham and definitely shows they’re backing Conte in this window.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: A sign of things to come?

Following the recent arrival of Perisic to the Premier League, this will hopefully be a sign of things to come for Tottenham, with Conte already underway with his plans to revamp the squad ahead of the 2022/23season.

It is claimed that the Italian wants to make at least six new signings during the summer transfer window, and it’s looking likely that Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster will be the next through the doors at N17 after undergoing a medical at the end of last month.

Having secured Champions League football for next term, this could be a hugely attractive proposition for any player, so if Conte is able to sign the transfer targets that he’s eyeing, it should put Tottenham in good stead to seriously compete for big prizes over the forthcoming 12 months.

In other news… negotiations are now underway to sanction the exit of this Spurs first-team maestro

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly considering a move for Allan Saint-Maximin this summer, according to football.london journalist Alasdair Gold.

The Lowdown: Making a big impression

The Frenchman made his Premier League entrance in 2019 when he put pen to paper on a six-year deal with Newcastle following his departure from Nice. He has gone on to become a standout performer in Eddie Howe’s starting XI, having made 93 appearances for the St James’ Park club to date.

Even though the 25-year-old still has four years remaining on his current contract, his scintillating form has seen him catch the eye of the Lilywhites. After a fresh update, it seems that Spurs appear to be seriously monitoring the forward ahead of a potential switch.

The Latest: Spurs considering Saint-Maximin move

In Gold’s latest piece for football.london, it is claimed that Tottenham are ‘weighing up a move’ for Saint-Maximin after making a huge impression in the English top flight.

The report stated that Spurs’ director of football Fabio Paratici is a ‘big admirer’ of the player, with the north London club viewing the Newcastle ace as someone who could ‘boost’ Antonio Conte’s attacking options ahead of the start of next season.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Bergwijn replacement?

With Steven Bergwijn’s exit seeming imminent, Spurs will need to find a suitable replacement for the Dutchman in the final third, and the former France under-21 international could well be the ideal candidate to take the 24-year-old’s place.

The £28.8m-rated Newcastle dynamo, who was hailed as a “next level” player earlier this year by Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards, scored five goals and provided five assists in the Premier League this term (as per Transfermarkt), with only Callum Wilson (eight) netting more often for Howe’s team.

Whether or not Saint-Maximin would be a regular starter under Conte if he were to make the move to N17 is unclear, but he is definitely a highly-rated talent who can produce the goods at top-flight level. He is someone that Spurs should strongly consider adding to their ranks if the price is right.

In other news… a transfer insider has revealed that Tottenham are now seriously ‘going after’ one of their long-term targets

Newcastle United are believed to have emerged as a surprising suitor for Middlesbrough right-back Djed Spence, according to reliable journalist Alasdair Gold in a report for football.london.

The Lowdown: Spence profiled

The 21-year-old worked his way up through the ranks of Fulham’s academy system before making the move to the Riverside Stadium back in 2018, where he’s made a total of 70 senior appearances for the Championship outfit.

The defender was allowed to leave the Boro last summer under former manager Neil Warnock in a bid to find some much-needed game time, which resulted in him joining Nottingham Forest on a season-long loan.

Steve Cooper’s side recently secured promotion to the Premier League following a 1-0 victory against Huddersfield Town in the play-off final at Wembley last weekend, and the youngster’s performances more than contributed to the Reds making the jump up to the top flight, with his displays being so impressive that he appears to have attracted plenty of interest heading into the upcoming transfer window.

The Latest: Newcastle join the race

In a new article published by football.london’s Gold, it’s claimed that Spence has ‘caught the eye’ of several clubs in the top division and across Europe, with Tottenham Hotspur currently one of the ‘front runners’ for his signature.

However, Spurs are set to face competition from the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Roma, Brentford, Forest, and the Magpies, who all want to sign the ace in the coming weeks.

The report further states that a £16m price tag has been put on the wing-back, and whilst a decision regarding his future will have to be made soon, it’s expected to be ‘at least another couple of weeks’ before anything official is confirmed.

The Verdict: Standout performer

The talented prospect has been one of Forest’s standout performers this season and has been a regular feature in Cooper’s starting XI, having recorded a staggering 50 outings across all competitions, scoring three goals and registering five assists during that time, as per Transfermarkt.

Spence, who was once dubbed an “unbelievable” player by BBC pundit Ian Wright, is set to represent the Three Lions later this month after being selected as part of England’s latest U21 squad.

It’s clear to see many clubs will be in the race for the colossus when the time comes that he has to decide his next destination, but whether that place will be St. James’ Park remains to be seen.

In other news… a Sky Sports reporter has been left impressed following a recent Newcastle appointment.

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ proposed signing of RB Leipzig loanee, Hwang Hee-chan will become permanent in the summer.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from Birmingham Mail, who have relayed Lage’s verdict on Hwang ahead of the South Korean’s permanent move to Molineux in July.

The 26-year-old joined Lage’s side last summer and it was announced in January that the club would indeed exercise their option to buy, consequently activating the £14m clause in his contract that would see him become an official Wolves player on July 1st.

Lage, by his own admission, has revealed that he will take inspiration from Manchester United icon Sir Alex Ferguson when he oversees Wolves’ rebuild this summer.

As per Birmingham Mail, he said: “I remember maybe 10 years ago, when I read Sir Alex Ferguson’s book, he said something like that. ‘I love my players as sons, but when they drop their performance I am the first guy to go there, shake their hands, it’s time to move, and we need to replace him to continue.’

“I want that pressure. When the players are there you give him respect and pay the salary, so when they don’t give the same things you need to find solutions. That’s why he was in that position for 20 years and he won titles every time. He did that with a lot of players.”

Wolves’ Ji-Sung Park

With the shared South Korean nationality, esteemed work rate and selflessness for the team in the form of versatility, the comparison between Ji-Sung Park and Hwang writes itself.

It’s of course emphasised further by Lage’s inspiration from Ferguson, who notoriously used Park as a key utility tool in United’s most successful spell.

The Wolves boss has already been waxing lyrical over Hwang as a player, saying this on the eve of the final Premier League game of the season:

“For Hwang, the way he came with the impact he gave us, it was very good. It was so easy for him to fit in the team. After that he had a big injury and stayed out for five or six games. Since then he has had good moments and bad moments.”

Hwang, who was said to have sent Virgil Van Dijk “out for a hotdog”, has made 31 appearances for Wolves this season and is the Old Gold’s second-highest goalscorer with five goals scored.

Though like Park, his game is much more than just end product, with the forward producing 86 pressures in the attacking third this term, the fourth-highest in the Wolves squad.

In other news: In talks: Lage can unearth Wolves’ new Neves & Moutinho in double swoop for £12.8m duo 

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly in talks to sign Sporting CP’s 23-year-old midfielder, Matheus Nunes.

That is according to a journalist in Portugal, who claimed earlier this week that the Old Gold were “on the heels” of the midfielder.

Taking to Twitter, the reporter said: “Wolverhampton on the heels of Matheus Nunes. New talks are underway to define the future of the Sporting midfielder, who for months has also been accompanied by Manchester City – remember that Guardiola recently considered the Portuguese-Brazilian one of the best players in the world”

On the chalkboard

As was covered in the initial report, Guardiola is a big fan of the Sporting starlet and for good reason.

When City and Sporting played in the first leg of the Champions League, even though his side were hammered 5-0, Matheus did not put a foot wrong and made the most amount of accurate passes out of the whole Sporting XI with 40 completed at a percentage of 87%.

His total in that game surpassed the likes of Bernardo Silva and saw him fall just eight passes short of Kevin De Bruyne. Even more impressively, Sporting had just 36% possession overall.

The performance against Guardiola’s side is an indicator as to what kind of player he is, covering both sides of the game well and he even had the Spaniard waxing lyrical about him, claiming he is “one of the best players in the world.”

His ability to keep the ball under pressure is one his greatest assets, which was again demonstrative in the aforementioned Champions League performance.

What will intrigue Wolves fans, though, is his ability to operate comfortably in a 3-4-2-1 system that looks to dominate the ball, having averaged 60% possession this season under Ruben Amorim.

Lage plays a similar system and aims to dictate play, but has struggled to do so this season, having averaged 49.9% possession in the Premier League. As such, he could get great use out of a player who is better in possession than the potentially departing Leander Dendoncker.

The Belgium international has struggled to keep the ball this season, averaging just 5.87 passes under pressure per 90, faltering to that of Nunes’ outstanding average of 10.45 per 90.

The Portuguese starlet’s match average of 0.53 goal-creating actions sees him achieve elite status, considering his position in comparison to similar players across the last year, with Dendoncker also registering a highly respectable 0.42 goal-creating actions per 90, with the caveat that he has functioned as an attacking midfielder on a few occasions this season.

£34m Nunes could well be the answer to Lage’s new look engine room, though the Old Gold will need to move quick amidst interest from Pep’s side.

In other news: Wolves now plot bid for “flourishing” £20m gem, he’s better than Moutinho

Allrounder has been crucial to Pakistan’s progress into the Asia Cup final

Shashank Kishore10-Sep-20223:56

Arthur: ‘Shadab’s become far better and is an all-round package’

Shadab Khan had “complicated things” for himself not long ago. He made this candid revelation after the Super 4 game against India at the Asia Cup. He said he was trying too many things as a bowler. As an art, legspin can be demanding at the best of times. It leaves you with minuscule margins for error. And when you try too many things like Shadab felt he had, results are often likely to be met with inconsistency.This is something Shadab has consciously worked on since the start of 2022. He touched upon doing the simple things right. Like hitting the same spot over and over again and varying his pace and trajectory without losing sight of that spot. When he was convinced the consistency in hitting that was back, he weaved the variations back in, such as the googly and the flipper.It was as if he was reconstructing his bowling; one by one piecing back the jigsaw of skills that brought him tremendous success when he broke through as a teenager six years ago.Related

Saqlain unwavering in his 'faith, trust and belief' in Rizwan and Babar

Tactics Board: Tackling Hasaranga, Sri Lanka's in-form openers and the toss impact

Pakistan look to end decade-long Asia Cup drought but Sri Lanka have psychological edge

To Shadab’s credit, even through all that, he made sure his batting didn’t suffer. It’s actually something he takes great pride in, to the point that, two years ago, when he was pulled up by Mickey Arthur for not doing enough, he bet his coach that he’d score three half-centuries in three Tests and he did just that: 55 against Ireland followed by 52 and 56 against England.Shadab brings great flexibility to Pakistan’s T20 line-up, something they have lacked since moving on from Faheem Ashraf. And he likes being the two-in-one guy. Earlier this year, playing for Islamabad United, Shadab picked up 19 wickets in eight innings. This included two four-wicket hauls and a five-for. He also made 268 runs at a strike rate of 162.42. No one in the PSL had made 250 runs and taken 15 wickets. To have done all this while leading Islamabad suggests that responsibility sits well with him.Shadab Khan’s spell was crucial to Pakistan stopping a rampaging India in the Super 4 game•AFP/Getty ImagesOver the past two weeks, we’ve seen Shadab’s brilliance at different times at the Asia Cup. In the game against India, he was single-handedly responsible stalling an innings that was in overdrive. His spell of 2 for 31 in four overs was the reason India finished on 181 instead of the 200-plus they were on track to get.Shadab’s variations that night extended far beyond just a simple wrong’un. He produced subtle changes in length, pace and use of the crease. He struck off his very first ball when KL Rahul didn’t fully get beneath it. It was a classic Shadab wicket. Tempting the batter into a big shot, only to have him drag one to strategically-placed deep fielders. Later on, with Rishabh Pant trying to play funky shots, he drew a mis-hit that was caught at backward point.Shadab’s contribution didn’t end there. Thanks to a deep understanding of match-ups and data, he played a key role in Mohammad Nawaz being pushed up the order to disturb India’s two legspinners. Of course, the benefit of hindsight allows us to label it a masterstroke, as Nawaz’s 20-ball 42 blindsided India.Against Afghanistan, he responded to conceding an early six by prising out the dangerous Najibullah Zadran. It was a clever piece of work, sneaking in a seam-up delivery that the batter toe-ended to long-on. Then, on a low-scoring bunsen, in a game wasn’t sealed before Naseem Shah’s twin-sixes in the final over, Shadab’s 36 off 26 at No. 5 proved invaluable, especially after the top order faltered.The dramatic nature of the finish meant his knock didn’t get the credit it deserved. It had been an exhibition of total control until he was dismissed trying to be a tad too adventurous against Rashid Khan. A game earlier, against Hong Kong, his 4 for 8 had been a wholesome display of his bag of tricks.As a bowler, Shadab doesn’t get expansive turn and bounce. He gets his edge from imparting sidespin and playing around with trajectories. With the bat, he’s calm and calculative. He plays to his strengths, to his match-ups. All of this is why he’s as X-factor as they come. The old verve that made him a teenage sensation is back. The signs are promising, once again.

Jim Gray and Bill Belichick locked down some of the most legendary coaches across sports for a roundtable episode of their podcast this week as Mike Krzyzewski, Nick Saban and Joe Torre all shared their championship insights.

In addition to talking about their philosophy for building winning programs and sustaining a winning culture, the quartet of coaches also delved into how coming so close to winning a title but falling just short is a pain that never goes away.

It's a really interesting conversation and was one because of the environment the coaches were speaking in. The public is not used to getting these candid looks into the psyche and humanness of the greats but being amongst similarly accomplished peers caused the group to be more open.

We went to 13 Final Fours, we won five," Krzyzewski said. "When I look back, we don't have the guys for all these games. You have them for that one little period of time. JJ Redick, who was one of the great players for me, we had a chance in 2004 to win a championship, but we lost in the semis. And he has always said to me, he says, And so I think as coaches and managers, we've had many opportunities, but these guys have a limited amount. And when we are not able to come through in that moment with them, that's what disappoints you more, that loss, the loss of those guys being the ultimate champion.”

"What Mike said really hit home with me," Belichick responded. "Two of the greatest players I've had, both in the Hall of Fame, Junior Seau and Randy Moss, didn't win with us. And I think that I have the same feeling for them that Mike just mentioned with JJ Redick. Those guys were such great players and we came close. It's heartbreaking for me that I couldn't deliver for them.”

“I had the same situation when we had that 3-0 lead on the Red Sox, and then we lost four straight," Torre added. "And the thing that hurt me more than anything, I had Don Mattingly on my coaching staff and Tony Clark on my team, and these guys had never gotten to the World Series. And if there was anything I was sorry about and couldn't get it done, was to have these guys get the taste of winning."

The entire extended conversation is worth a listen. Also worth thinking about is the trend of notoriously guarded or objectively opaque coaches transforming into open books upon retirement. Saban and Belichick are two of the biggest and best examples of this but it's interesting that there's a market for such thoughts. Especially because they are offered so sparingly when a coach is actively coaching.

These stories and touches may be a long time coming and seem overdue, but there's a countless amount of memories and lessons they can draw upon to share in their second acts and media personalities.

Celtic’s interim manager Martin O’Neill got off to a dream start on Wednesday night with a commanding 4-0 win over Falkirk at Parkhead in front of the home support.

The Hoops had lost their previous two matches in the Scottish Premiership, to Hearts and Dundee, before Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation from his role on Monday night.

O’Neill and his interim coaching team got a brilliant response out of the first-team player against Falkirk, with Johnny Kenny being one of the stars of the night.

Why Johnny Kenny is undroppable for Celtic

The Ireland U21 international has started the last two Premiership matches after Kelechi Iheanacho suffered a hamstring injury early on in the win over Sturm Graz in the Europa League last week.

Kenny failed to make much of an impact against Hearts on Sunday, but he stepped up with two goals from five shots in 66 minutes on the pitch against Falkirk, per Sofascore.

On top of his goalscoring exploits, converting from close range on two occasions, the Irishman won five of his nine duels and won three fouls for the team, per Sofascore, acting as the focal point in the number nine position.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

With Iheanacho’s injury and Celtic’s lack of depth in the striker position, Kenny’s impressive performance against Falkirk should mean that he is undroppable for the time being.

The former Shamrock Rovers star is not the only Hoops ace who should be considered undroppable after Wednesday night, though, as Marcelo Saracchi was just as good.

Why Marcelo Saracchi should be undroppable already

The Uruguay international was brought in for experienced left-back Kieran Tierney, and barely put a foot wrong throughout the 90 minutes on the pitch.

Despite assisting Celtic’s goal, Tierney had a difficult afternoon against Hearts last time out. He lost three of his four aerial duels and failed to make a single tackle, per Sofascore, which is why the left-back position may not be guaranteed to him.

Saracchi came in against Falkirk on Wednesday and showed the defensive quality that was lacking from Tierney’s performance against Hearts, as he impressed for O’Neill.

Minutes

90

Tackles won

4

Interceptions

1

Ball recoveries

12

Ground duels won

7/11

Aerial duels won

3/3

Key passes

2

Crosses completed

3/6

As you can see in the table above, the Boca Juniors loanee made four more tackles and won 75% more of his aerial duels than Tierney did in his last outing at left-back.

On top of his impressive defensive work, with ten duels won and 12 ball recoveries, Saracchi also created two chances and had two shots on target, one of which was parried out to Benjamin Nygren for the third goal on the night.

It was a brilliant all-round display from the energetic full-back, who showed that he can contribute at both ends of the pitch. He has the bite, tenacity, and patience to provide quality defending, whilst also having the ability on the ball to make things happen in the final third, which is why he was just as good and influential as Kenny.

Saracchi, who earned an 8/10 player rating from 67HailHail, is now undroppable because his performance was one that the Hoops lacked when Tierney was in the XI against Hearts on Sunday, albeit that was away against the league leaders.

Rodgers upgrade: Celtic have "kamikaze" title-winning manager on the radar

Celtic have a manager on their radar who could come in as a big upgrade on Brendan Rodgers.

ByDan Emery Oct 29, 2025

O’Neill, should he still be in charge next time out, should consider the left-footed star an undroppable part of his team, along with Kenny, because of his sublime showing in and out of possession.

Carlo Ancelotti says he is close to deciding on his final Brazil squad for next summer's World Cup, which could come as a big blow to Neymar's prospects of representing his country one last time on the biggest stage. The Santos star was left out of the Selecao squad for the upcoming friendlies as he continues to shrug off fitness struggles.

Neymar’s wait for Brazil return continues

Brazil fans are patiently waiting for Neymar to put on the national team colours once more as the World Cup fast approaches. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star has not played for the five-time World Cup winners since October 2023, when Brazil lost 2-0 to Uruguay. Neymar had to be stretchered off in the stoppage time of the first half in that game, and Brazil’s worst fears came true after he was diagnosed with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

The dazzling attacker spent almost a year on the sidelines, before marking his return for his then-employers Al-Hilal in October 2024.

He made a sensational return to his boyhood club Santos in winter earlier this year, but he has struggled to regain fitness and rhythm, missing 40 games in the past year alone. His recent hamstring injury saw him remain out of action for over six weeks. Neymar marked his return with a 23-minute cameo against Fortaleza in a 1-1 league draw, but that wasn’t enough to convince Brazil boss Ancelotti to include him in the squad for the upcoming friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDid Ancelotti hint at Neymar missing out on World Cup selection?

In October, Neymar was handed an international lifeline by Ancelotti, who claimed that doors to the Brazil national team will always be open for the 33-year-old as long as he remains in good physical condition. "Neymar can play at his highest level in this team without any problems," the ex-Real Madrid boss told reporters. "When he is in good physical condition, he has the quality to play not only in Brazil but in any team in the world because of his talent."

However, following the announcement of Brazil's squad for the upcoming international friendlies, reporters once again began speculating whether Selecao's all-time top scorer would make it to the 2026 World Cup in Canada, United States and Mexico next summer. During the press conference recently, Ancelotti said: "I haven't spoken to Neymar yet, we'll see what happens when he recovers and is able to play again." He also added that he "might call up a player who lacks fitness for the first match or two of the World Cup, but it is impossible" for him "to include a player who is not physically ready for the entire tournament. We need players who are at their best." 

Ancelotti's statements following the announcement of the squad might have added further weight to the notion that Neymar might indeed miss out on the flight for next year's marquee event. "I believe that the more time I spend with the players, the closer we get to the final list. I think we are close to what could be the final list for June, I think 17 to 18 players," said the Italian head coach.

Ancelotti's dream: Ending Brazil's 24-year wait for the World Cup

In an interview with earlier this year, the former AC Milan, Chelsea, PSG, Bayern Munich and Everton boss revealed his ambition to guide Brazil to World Cup glory next year. "The same thing we always hope for!", said Ancelotti when asked what he is hoping for from the Brazilian faithful at the World Cup. "They’ll show us great support. I think it’s our responsibility, in the Selecao, to give Brazilians what they want: to win the World Cup for the first time in 24 years."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty ImagesNeymar's future at Santos uncertain amid Brazil absence

Neymar is nearing the end of his contract with Santos, with reports suggesting that the Brazilian heavyweights are reportedly in a dilemma over the superstar's future at the club. Recently, Marcelo Teixeira, the club president, confirmed that they would like to renew Neymar's contract. But any extension will come with financial limitations. 

"The Neymar project isn’t for six months or a year. It’s for the 2026 World Cup," Teixeira said. "Santos knew how they would treat Neymar, the investment made. It’s a high investment. Santos and Neymar evaluate the situation periodically. We evaluated it when he came, and that evaluation isn't the same as today's. And the financial situation will be evaluated by both parties until the end of the year. He's not worried about the finances. And Santos has a limit.

"Neymar’s project is the 2026 World Cup. If we find common ground, his continuity will be confirmed. As long as Santos and Neymar, who have a strong and positive understanding of trust, reach a common ground. I believe we will resolve this situation at the right time."

Reports are suggesting that a reunion with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez at Inter Miami could potentially materialise.