Neymar Jr: What Does His Future Hold?

Neymar da Silva Santos Junior, known to the professional footballing world as Neymar Jr, made his professional footballing debut at the age of 17. 

Since then, he was named South American Footballer of the Year in 2011 and 2012, moved to Europe to play for Barcelona with Messi and Suarez, become the most expensive football player ever when moving to PSG, has had sponsorship deals across the world, and this season scored his 400^th career goal. 

The future might be uncertain for the Brazilian striker. A spotty performance at Paris Saint-Germain dogged by injuries has meant other clubs might be interested in signing him, despite being under contract until 2025 with the French club. 

So, what could be next?

The Most Marketable Football Players in the World

Neymar Jr. has been recognised as one of the world’s most marketable football players, with sponsorship deals from sports brands like Nike and Puma, as well as associations with Volkswagen, Santander, and Unilever. Whatever Neymar touches tends to turn to gold and with hundreds of thousands of fans following his lead, he has increased interest in the French football league as well as in his own personal passion of poker games. 

Neymar Jr. started playing poker during the 2014 World Cup, and since then has turned heads with his performance in poker tournaments – a winner in every sense of the word. 

Leaving PSG?

Despite promising performances when he was on the pitch last season and scoring his 100^th goal during the 5-0 defeat of Metz in May, Neymar Jr. has been underwhelming for Ligue 1 leaders PSG. 

Neymar Jr. went to Paris Saint-German in 2017 from Barcelona in a move that cost the French club €222 million – the most expensive transfer ever. 

His appearances for the club since then have been patchy, with injury troubles following him from season to season. He only played for PSG in Ligue 1 in the 2021-22 season a total of 22 times. He still managed to score 13 goals and help the club reach the top of the league.

The inconsistent performance has meant questions from various sources about where he could go if PSG were looking to get him out from his contract, which is until 2025. There are several options on the table according to pundits – including the US and the English Premier League.

• Barcelona: Having sold Neymar Jr. back in 2017, there are rumours that a return to his Spanish home might be on the cards, although it would be assumed for a bit less money than the original transfer.
• Newcastle United: Moving to the Premier League might be a good trip for the Brazilian striker, but few English teams have the budget for his wages – except the richest team in the world which is, surprisingly, Newcastle. With an astronomical budget and no relegation fears, the new owners of Newcastle United might be looking to sign a well-known striker and have the funds to pay his wages.
• Manchester United: A dismal 2021-22 season that didn’t see the best of some of their big-name players will have dampened the spirits of fans, and the idea of signing a striker like Neymar Jr might improve matters a little. This is especially true of rumours of Ronaldo leaving this summer are true – and let’s face it, United have the budget to chuck at the big names.
• Inter Miami: Neymar Jr. himself has mentioned in the past that a season in America would be something that he would be interested in and landing at David Beckham’s Inter Miami club seems like the best bet – especially as his teammate at both Barca and PSG (Messi) is headed there too. While it might be considered where talented players go to retire, the MLS is still a draw.
• PSG: Contracted until 2025 and despite a rough season, Neymar Jr. himself has stated that he has no desire to go elsewhere next season and that he wants to continue to play football games with his current team – and that might not be a bad deal for PSG, although their contract extension with Mbappe might put that into question.

Retiring?

Of course, Neymar Jr. is only young, in terms of football careers, but with injuries and a lack of playing time this season retirement might be the obvious option. 

With a passion for poker – and the skills to win tournaments, a career as a professional poker player might not be out of reach for him. 

He is an icon in Brazil and has promoted various things from pop music to movies and TV – and this could be something that might be a new career for him too. Dancing when scoring goals is one of his signature moves, which is part of the reason that he was featured in the Beats headphones promotion recently. 

Of course, retirement works better with sponsorship money, and despite falling out of favour with footballing giants Nike, Neymar Jr. still has the support of Puma alongside other Brazilian and international companies. 

Does Prior Performance Justify High Wages?

Neymar Jr. is an expensive asset for PSG and it might be wise for them to consider whether he is worth his wages. Injuries, a few appearances, and lacklustre results in the Champions League might make the French club reconsider their position if he cannot perform in the way that they need him to next season. 

However, it is worth remembering that he is one of the most marketable athletes in the world, is the most expensive footballer ever, and is a household name that scores goals – so is it worth getting out of his contract early? 

The future might not be at PSG for Neymar Jr., but what is certain is that he has plenty to fall back on outside of French football. Many sports stars have made transitions from sports to other industries like acting, modelling and even legendary appearances in other entertainment like wrestling matches, anything is on the cards given the reputation they forge in the legendary game.