BREAKING: Neymar Jr. wants to return to Europe... and to Barça!

Neymar Jr. continues to seek to revitalize his football career. The native of Mogi das Cruzes, at 33 years old, has decided to take an important step to recover his best version as a player, a facet in which he has proven to be an extremely decisive asset.

After his time in Saudi Arabian football with Al-Hilal, possibly the toughest stage of his career, the former FC Barcelona player has returned to Brazil. 'Ney' ended up signing for his beloved Santos, the team that saw him grow as a forward, leaving in 2013 as a young star and now welcoming him back with open arms.

Beyond the media impact of Neymar Jr.'s arrival at Santos, this move represents a significant sporting benefit for both 'Peixe' and 'Ney' himself. Although it is evident that the now '10' of the 'alvinegro' team is experiencing a drop in performance on the field, it is recognized that regaining continuity in his game can be very useful, and what better place to do it than in such a welcoming environment as Vila Belmiro?

Neymar Jr. wants to return to Europe... and to Barça!

At the same time, it seems that the former Paris Saint-Germain player has facilitated his return to Santos for a very specific reason, beyond reuniting and making up for lost time in the 2024-25 season: the goal of the Brazilian 'wizard' would be to return to high-level football in Europe. In fact, according to journalist Santi Ovalle on the program 'Què t'hi Jugues!', Neymar Jr. not only wishes to return to football in the Old Continent, but he has a concrete dream: to wear the FC Barcelona jersey again, the club he left in 2017 after a controversial transfer to the Parisian team, leaving a legacy of 105 goals and 76 assists in 186 appearances as a culé.

This intention makes perfect sense considering that Neymar Jr. has signed with Santos only until June 30, 2025, which would make him a free agent next summer, thus becoming an attractive option for several teams if he regains his best level of play or something close to it. He is pursuing this goal with determination at 'Peixe', where he has already played a couple of matches and, although he does not seem to be in his best shape, he has shown flashes of his quality on certain occasions.

Would 'Ney' have space in FC Barcelona's starting eleven?

However, despite Neymar Jr.'s interest in returning to FC Barcelona, it remains to be seen whether the Barcelona club is willing to count on the Brazilian's services again, a question that depends on several aspects, such as his ability to regain an optimal level in his game. Furthermore, if he were to return, it is unclear whether the azulgrana team, which is looking to strengthen its left wing, would be willing to sign him, given that he is 33 years old and would likely have a significant impact in terms of salary, unless he is willing to accept an affordable contract. Likewise, would 'Ney' adapt to the patterns and rules of Hansi Flick's sports project? Something to ponder...