In an exclusive interview with Sunday with Benja this Sunday (2), the president of Santos Marcelo Teixeira revealed how the trading behind the hiring of Neymar were behind the scenes. The long and dragged process of conversations that resulted in the agreement for the player to wear the Santos shirt again had the star of the star, confidentiality, anxiety, emotion, and even made Teixeira need medical attention.
The ace on a party day in Vila Belmiro. According to Teixeira, the negotiation was not fast, lasted a few months, as the striker had a contract with Al-Hilal, from Saudi Arabia, until the middle of 2025.
But the Santos leader reveals that in the middle of the negotiation process, there was a surprise. According to Teixeira, Neymar called and said the deal could come out earlier than expected. He told him that he caught his cell phone when Neymar confirmed that he was returning to Santos after 12 years.
“I stopped and was thrilled. There is no way to. And he on the other side thought he had fallen the line. And I hadn’t fallen, I couldn’t answer, I couldn’t answer and I stood. Then he hung up and called again. I said ‘Neymar, didn’t fall the line, I’m here, but thrilled.’ Because this was built over a period, right. It is a long time before reaching the last, until it reaches the final moment. But it was fantastic, such an impressive thing, ”he said.
Anticipated return
With a contract until June 31, 2025 with Al-Hilal, Neymar’s chances arrived at Santos at the beginning of the season were small. But the striker got the termination of a contract with the Saudi club, which. From there, the way was free for the fish.
According to Marcelo Teixeira, he had asked for patience and confidentiality in December and then warned that the arrival in Santos could be faster. Which ended up materializing.
“When he told me on the phone before, in December, he said ‘patience. Tolerance that you will have to have in this process. Secrecy.’ Then he said to me like this, ‘What we had been talking to, maybe happen before.’ Before? Then I thought it’s not July, it’s June. Then he ‘look, it’s earlier than we expected.’ Then I said ‘for God’s sake! ” It was impressive. And then it was a process, which took me there at 20 × 12, with two pressure remedies, ”said the president amid laughs.
Confidentiality was challenge
To CNN, Teixeira revealed that the hardest during the negotiation was to keep everything confidential. The president also said that he lived moments of anxiety, for fear of the result not being positive.
“The hardest thing is to keep confidentiality of what you want to talk about fast. Here comes anxiety: ‘Will I lose this moment? Will I not be able to realize this fact? ‘ And here comes and go. ‘The club is resisting, they are demanding other situations.’ Wow, it was a soap opera. A soap opera that lasted a few months, two months, but for us it became a Mexican soap opera, ”said the president of Santos.
Marcelo Teixeira also revealed that during the negotiation process, there was a peak pressure that made him need medical attention.
“For you to have an idea, last week, a. I went to Syrian, there to treat another Santos, Dr. Kalil. I spent two days doing all the exams. ”
