The attacking midfielder Neymar did not participate in Santos’ activities on the field this Saturday (11/22) and has a good chance of not facing Internacional next Monday (24/11), in Beira-Rio. The number 10 felt pain in his left knee again – the same one operated on to reconstruct the ligaments. The complaint began in the duel against Mirassol, although he remained on the field until the final whistle. He was also left out of training on Friday (21/11).
The initial information about the possible absence was released by the website “ge.com”. The website “Uol” found that the athlete is having difficulty flexing his knee.
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Will Neymar go to the World Cup?
Neymar, currently 33 years old, is still an uncertainty for the World Cup. With just seven months left until the start of the World Cup, the player still has the possibility of joining the Brazilian delegation at the tournament, but without a guarantee of starting football.
According to journalist Thiago Arantes, from the website “UOL”, the technical committee, led by Carlo Ancelotti, is evaluating the attacker’s situation. Although Neymar’s name is on the list of options, there is no promise that he will start the matches as the team’s main player.
The number 10 would be treated as another member of the squad, needing to demonstrate that he deserves space among those chosen to play, something that has been hampered by the injury problems faced by the player.
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Still according to “Uol”, the Brazilian technical committee is studying Neymar’s inclusion in the final list for the World Cup, but also carefully analyzes all aspects involving the athlete’s performance.
For Carlo Ancelotti, it is essential that players capable of contributing immediately are called up. Thus, the striker would need to compete directly with other names in the position and prove that he can deliver what the team needs.
If called up, Neymar should be ready to take the field, and could start on the bench. The attacker would be analyzed from a context of performance and tactical fit, without privileges, something that has happened in recent cycles.
Since Carlo Ancelotti’s arrival at the helm of the Brazilian national team, Neymar has not yet been called up once, partly because he was injured, partly due to a technical decision.
Neymar’s contractual situation and uncertain future at Santos
Neymar’s contract with Santos runs until December 2025, but the star’s stay depends directly on the club’s situation in the Brazilian Championship. In case of relegation, the tendency is for him not to renew.
According to the website UOL, the return of number 10 cost Santos around R$21 million per month during the initial five-month agreement. The total already paid until June was R$105 million, around 25% of the annual budget initially planned for the club. The salary after renewal is not known.
When calculating salaries for the first five months, the fixed salary in the portfolio was R$4.14 million per month, while the majority of the remuneration came from marketing and image use agreements. Neymar received 75% of the revenue from new Santos sponsors, and the club kept 25%. Since his return, Peixe has increased sponsorship revenue by approximately R$66 million, of which R$49.5 million went to NR Sports, the company that manages the player’s career.
With the future uncertain, other clubs are also observing the situation. Inter Miami, from the United States, is monitoring the striker, but should only move forward if Lionel Messi enters the deal. In Italy, Inter Milan and Napoli also showed interest in the January window, but there is still no official offer.
In Brazil, Fluminense is interested and defender Thiago Silva is one of the signing’s enthusiasts.
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