Although the news has been reported in the national press as coming from a media outlet called ‘Beting’, it all stems from statements made by a Brazilian journalist called Mauro Beting. The talk show host of ‘Arena SBT’, a programme on ‘SBT Sports’, said, on the programme that was broadcast in the early hours of 1st to 2nd April from the Spanish time zone, that Neymar and his father will end up buying Santos like Ronaldo Nazario did with Cruzeiro.
Neymar attended Santos’ win over Corinthians in the Paulista Championship. Screenshot/SBTSports
Mauro Beting, a well-known journalist in Brazil, believes that Neymar and his father will end up buying Santos like Ronaldo Nazario did with Cruzeiro. The ‘Arena SBT’ talk show host made this clear on Monday’s programme last week, when he and his colleagues were discussing a visit by the Al Hilal star to the dressing room of the team that saw him grow up. They were also discussing the former PSG man’s possible return as a footballer in 2025.
After Emerson Sheik gave his opinion on the matter – he doesn’t see much chance of the operation happening – his colleague said: “He won’t just return to Santos. I don’t know if now or sooner rather than later, and let it be understood with respect what I am going to say: he and his father will buy Santos. The same thing Ronaldo did with Cruzeiro is what they are going to do with Santos”. A week later, these words reached the Spanish press, although they were quoted as coming from a media outlet called ‘Beting’.
It is by no means out of the question that the former Camp Nou star will make such a move in the medium to long-term future, as after all, he has plenty of financial leeway to realise any dream he wants once he retires. For the time being, he is suffering in the Middle East because he has barely been able to enjoy playing time in the Saudi Arabian league due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.
From home, he will be able to watch PSG and Barcelona, his two most recent clubs, meet in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. Until not too long ago, he was the flagship of the Parisians and, before that, the Catalans, who have touted his return on occasion since his €222million move to the Parc des Princes, one of several points of common ground between the European play-off rivals.
