Having all but consigned himself to retirement at his boyhood club Santos, Neymar could yet seal a surprise move to a shock club this summer. The former Barcelona winger appears to be entering the twilight of his career after being snubbed by Carlo Ancelotti for the latest Brazil squad, with the 2026 World Cup now coming into sharper focus.
That said, it doesn’t necessarily mean the 34-year-old’s club career is over. After contributing three goals and two assists in Santos’s first four matches of the new Brazilian Serie A campaign, he is once again attracting interest from potential suitors. Europe’s elite may have turned their noses up, but a move to the USA could now be on the cards.
According to a recent report by The Athletic, an MLS club has held internal preliminary talks to assess whether a deal would suit both parties. Such a move could see Neymar lining up against former teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez on the opposite side.
Neymar net worth and salary Related
Neymar Net Worth (2025): Current Salary, Sponsorship Deals and Business Ventures
Neymar has been financially rewarded in a big way, and his current net worth reflects that.
Neymar Could Seal Move to Shock MLS Club
Neymar
The report claims that FC Cincinnati - a side not typically blessed with marquee names in the way LA Galaxy and Inter Miami have been - are leading the charge to sign Neymar. The club believes its financial muscle and new facilities could turn his head, marking a shift away from relying on more familiar US household names such as Weston McKennie.
Chicago Fire previously held serious talks with Neymar when he left Al Hilal in 2025, perhaps hinting at a past reluctance to make the MLS switch. Another wrinkle is that FC Cincinnati do not currently have an open designated player slot, with Kévin Denkey, Miles Robinson and Evander occupying all three for the remainder of the year.
Still, if they can square the circle, a deal would offer a major commercial windfall for the Ohio-based side and could breathe new life into a stuttering start to the season. They’ve managed just two wins from six MLS matches, losing the rest, and currently sit 10th - already seven points adrift of Eastern Conference leaders Nashville SC.
Neymar's Global Appeal Cannot be Understated
Neymar
In terms of raw talent, you'd be hard-pressed to find many better than Neymar, who is one of the most technically-gifted footballers ever. The fleet-footed icon first made a name for himself while playing for Santos during his first stint between 2009 and 2013, and it was none other than Barcelona who won the tug-of-war for his signature. From that point onward, Brazil's top goalscorer's popularity soared year-on-year.
It makes sense that Neymar, whose move from Barcelona to PSG is the most expensive transfer in football history, is among the most popular footballers of all time. There's a compelling case to suggest that he's the third-best footballer of his generation (behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, of course), and the internal talks among Cincinnati chiefs over whether he adds value to their squad must surely have been swift.