Al-Hilal’s head coach, Jorge Jesus, has announced that Brazilian star Neymar da Silva is not yet ready for an imminent return to action with the team.
Neymar, who signed with Al-Hilal in August 2023, has only played five matches before undergoing surgery due to a severe knee injury sustained while on international duty in October.
Despite Neymar’s return to training in July, sparking speculation about his comeback, Jesus tempered expectations during a post-match press conference.
Jesus, who led Al-Hilal to their 19th league title in May, stated on Tuesday, “Neymar is an important player for Al-Hilal and the league as a whole. However, I cannot specify a return date, but we will reassess the situation in January.”
Neymar is expected to be available for Al-Hilal in January for the second half of the Saudi Pro League season.
With Saudi Pro League teams allowed to register a maximum of eight foreign players over the age of 21, Marcus Leonardo, who was signed from Benfica earlier in September, replaced Neymar in the squad for the first half of the season.
Once he regains full fitness, Neymar, whose two-year contract runs until next August, will be eligible to participate in Al-Hilal’s ongoing campaign in the elite AFC Champions League, where there are no restrictions on the number of foreign players allowed.