Neymar’s Slow-Burn Negotiations Put Santos Future in Question Amid Knee Surgery

Update on Neymar’s Future as Knee Surgery Looms

Renewal talks between Brazilian star Neymar and Santos have been put on hold after reports that the former Barcelona forward will undergo knee surgery, according to Brazilian press.

Neymar joined Santos in January from Al Hilal, and his contract runs until December 31, which would make him a free agent to leave if no new deal is reached.

A renewal was expected this week, but the player's agent—his father—advised waiting until after the operation.

Journalist Lucas Moseti, close to Santos and citing Planeta do Futebol, said the surgery would be performed before Christmas, possibly in the past few days, after Neymar's return from a vacation in the United States.

Moseti said the procedure would be a simple arthroscopic fix for a cartilage issue, though the club preferred to wait to ensure its success.

Santos remains highly confident about signing a new deal with Neymar that would extend into mid-2026, noting the delay is a mutual decision and that the 'slow negotiation' tactic is a pattern from Neymar's father.

"This delay is natural; it's the father's typical approach," Moseti said. "It's happened twice before—when Neymar arrived at Santos he did not sign the contract until the day of his presentation."

Neymar has helped Santos stay in the Brazilian league despite injury, and is now focused on recovering in prime shape to secure a place in coach Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Punchline: If patience were a transferable asset, Neymar would already have a multi-year deal. Punchline 2: They call it slow negotiation—Brazilian time management, folks: even the contract takes a samba break.