Reports from the Middle East claimed that Al-Hilal terminated Neymar’s contract while he recovers from his injury to register his fellow countryman and new signing Renan Lodi. Qatari journalist Muhammad Al-Kaabi raised eyebrows in the soccer community on X (formerly Twitter) with the following message: “It was agreed to terminate Neymar’s contract and sign him to a one-season contract starting from the beginning of the next season to remove his name from the team’s list and register Lodi.”
Immediately, journalist and transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano clarified the situation with another post: “Al Hilal has not terminated Neymar Jr.’s contract. Reports are being denied by sources as ‘fake news’.” He explained that the Saudi team “will only make space in the squad list for Renan Lodi as a foreigner player as Neymar’s injured and won’t play again this season. … Then he’s set to return in the squad.”
Therefore, Lodi will take the foreign player spot while Ney recovers from the ACL injury in his left knee. The contract of the Brazilian star will be respected, and he will be able to play again for the Saudi club, for which he could only play five games so far, scoring one goal and providing three assists.
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Lodi, under contract until 2027
To strengthen Jorge Jesus’ team during Neymar’s absence, Al-Hilal have added left-back Lodi, with whom they agreed on a contract until 2027 in a deal reportedly worth 23 million euros.
He is here to deliver, to compete..
He is ready 💪🏻#Lodi_Hilali #AlHilal 💙More to see on our Instagram 📸👇🏻https://t.co/J03i0bdBbe pic.twitter.com/yTG1vIrTEc
— AlHilal Saudi Club (@Alhilal_EN) January 17, 2024
At 25 years old and with 19 caps for the Brazil national team, he comes from spending six months at Olympique de Marseille, with a previous stint at Nottingham Forest, where he was on loan from Atlético de Madrid last season.
