Report: Neymar pushing for Santos return, not MLS move

Neymar wants to go home.

The Brazilian will attempt to terminate his contract with Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal and return to boyhood team Santos rather than play in Major League Soccer, report Adriana Garcia and Julien Laurens of ESPN.

Speculation over a move to MLS began after Neymar said he was open to a reunion with his former Barcelona teammates, such as Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, at Inter Miami.

He was in discussions with at least three MLS teams over a potential free transfer after his Al-Hilal contract expires this summer, ESPN's Jeff Carlisle reported last week. The Chicago Fire were reportedly the favorites to land him.

Neymar held talks with Santos over a six-month deal and will look to negotiate the termination of his contract with Al-Hilal to receive some of the money owed to him from the two-year contract signed in 2023, according to Garcia and Laurens.

Al-Hilal coach Jorge Jesus said recently that Neymar had no future at the club because he "can no longer play at the level we are used to" after numerous injuries that have plagued his spell in Saudi Arabia. He added that Neymar wasn't going to be registered to play in the second-half of the Saudi Pro League season.

Neymar played for Santos' youth and senior teams over a 10-year spell before joining Barcelona in 2013.