In September 2023, Neymar suffered a severe injury while representing the Brazilian national team, sidelining the Al-Hilal star from the field for an extended period.
Despite his absence, Al-Hilal, a top team in the Saudi Pro League, is reportedly planning to include Neymar in their squad for the upcoming season, according to the Saudi publication Ariyadhiah.
The Saudi Pro League enforces a strict limit on the number of foreign players each club can register, capping it at ten per season to ensure the development of domestic talent.
Al-Hilal already has its full quota of ten international players, so adding Neymar to the squad would require dropping one of the current foreign players. Speculation has arisen that former Atletico Madrid star Renan Lodi might be the one to make way for Neymar’s return.
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Renan Lodi, who joined Al-Hilal during the winter transfer window, has been a consistent performer for the club.
However, the recent signings of Joao Cancelo from Manchester City and left-back Miteb Al Harbi have led the club to reconsider Lodi’s position within the squad. The arrival of these high-profile players has increased competition for spots, making Lodi’s future at Al-Hilal uncertain.
Given Neymar’s potential return before the end of 2024, it seems inevitable that the Brazilian superstar will be registered for the new season.
As for Lodi, reports over the past week indicate that Al-Hilal has been exploring the possibility of transferring the full-back to another club. However, with the transfer window rapidly closing, finding a suitable destination for Lodi may prove challenging before the deadline.