"Nothing will stop me" - Neymar pens emotional reason as he snubs Barcelona return for Santos stay

Neymar Jr shared an emotional message after agreeing to stay at Santos despite Barcelona return links. The Brazilian superstar is set to stay at his boyhood side until December 2025.

Neymar signed for Santos in January this year after mutually terminating his contract with Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. Since joining, the Brazilian has continued to suffer from injuries, missing out on regular playtime at his boyhood club. In 12 appearances for the Brazilian side, he recorded three goals and three assists across competitions. His current contract was valid until June 2025, with widespread speculation about his future.

Despite reported interest from European clubs, including his former club, Barcelona, Neymar opted to stay at Santos for six more months. His new deal is valid until December 2025. He spoke to Santos's official website after signing his new deal, and said (via GOAL):

"I made a decision and I listened to my heart. Santos is not just my team, it is my home, my roots, my history and my life. Here I was a boy who became a man, and I am truly loved. Here I can be myself, truly happy. And it is here that I want to fulfil the dreams that are missing in my career. And nothing will stop me. I go, I come back and I stay. Where it all began and where it will never end."

The Selecao superstar will now hope to get regular playtime with Santos while gearing up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He has not represented Brazil since October 2023, when he picked up an ACL injury that kept him off the pitch for a year.

When Barcelona director Deco made feelings clear about Neymar's potential return to the club

In an interview with TNT Brasil in March 2025, Barcelona director Deco spoke about Neymar's potential return to the club. The Selecao icon represented the Catalan side between 2013 and 2017 and is often believed to have been at his best during this time. Speaking of a potential reunion, Deco said (via ESPN):

"I think if there was a situation in the future, it would have to be right for us and for him. Football teams are built with balance and cool heads. He was a phenomenon here, who did what he did here and won what he won, but sometimes these stories aren't repeated."

He added:

"It's not the moment for Barcelona to be thinking about Neymar or him thinking about [coming back]. He's at his club, Santos, and it's the ideal place for him."

The former PSG star left Barcelona back in 2017 to sign for the French side for a record €222 million transfer fee. He has since then been linked to a return multiple times, but both sides seem to have other priorities for now.

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Pratyasha is a Pop Culture and a European Football writer for Sportskeeda. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature, and has over 3 years of experience in the pop culture industry. Throughout her career, Pratyasha has always emphasized detailed background checks, and believes in verifying all information regardless of how correct it may seem.

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Edited by Pratyasha Sarkar