Santos cautiously works on negotiations to repatriate Neymar and Gabigol

With the return to the first division, the Santos board is already starting to plan the next season and has two names as the main targets: Neymar and Gabigol. However, the club knows that it will not have an easy life in negotiations.

Santos is acting slowly behind the scenes, and will not be in a rush to close with the players. All the board's actions will depend on how the clubs will behave, to act as necessary.

Caution with Neymar

This caution on the part of the Santos board is mirrored in the negotiations with Neymar. There is still no conversation between the clubs and the player, and Santos is awaiting the termination of the striker's contract with Al Hilal before moving forward. Therefore, there are no significant changes in this negotiation.

While watching from the outside, the club is already finding a possible problem: Neymar's salary, which is completely unrealistic by Brazilian standards. The player receives around R$453.7 million per year, which would amount to R$37.8 million per month, according to “Forbes” magazine.

Santos will open negotiations with Neymar starting from a much lower salary than the player's current salary, but they know that, even so, they will have to pay a high amount. The club hopes that commercial partners and sponsorships will help with this payment, and that marketing activities with the player can be carried out.

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_{Neymar in his first spell at Santos (Photo: reproduction/Eduardo Anizelli/Getty Images Embed)}

During the striker's first spell at Peixe, between 2009 and 2013, the club's marketing manager was Armênio Neto, who currently holds the position. Neto is close to Neymar's family and has a good relationship with the star, which could be an important factor in the idol's return. He helped the player draw up his career plan. Thanks to the marketing moves and advertising contracts signed by both, Neymar did not leave the club early, playing for Santos until 2013.

Neymar's father could also be instrumental in the negotiation. He and the club have a good relationship, with the current master sponsor, Blaze, being brokered by Neymar's agent. Next week, a meeting will be held between him and members of the Santos board, to talk about the possible return.

Neymar's contract with Al-Hilal ends in June, and Santos sees no problem in having the player only on this occasion, after the striker resolves his disputes with the Saudi Arabian club.

Proposal and competition for Gabigol

With Gabigol, the situation is different. The striker stated in a live interview after the Copa do Brasil title that he will not continue at Flamengo in 2025, and his next club has not yet been defined.

The club is also acting cautiously, but the situation is a little more advanced than Neymar's. Santos has already made a proposal sent to the player's agents and is awaiting a response.

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_{Gabigol in his first spell at Santos (Photo: reproduction/Friedemann Vogel/Getty Images Embed)}

During the season, there were already conversations between the club and Gabigol's staff, which intensified after Santos gained access to Série A of the Brasileirão.

Alvinegro will have competition from Cruzeiro, who has also sent a proposal to Gabigol's representatives. The two clubs will have to wait, as the player will only choose his future after the end of the season.

President says he won't do crazy things

The president of Santos, Marcelo Teixeira, guaranteed that, despite a change in the squad being necessary, the club will not incur debts or financial madness for next year.

According to him, the club has already had a financially committed 2024, and investments for signings will be the result of sponsorship revenue.

With the Series B title guaranteed, Peixe will play against Sport, next Sunday (24), in the last round of the competition.

Featured photo: Neymar and Gabigol playing for the Brazilian team (Reproduction/MB Media/Getty Images Embed)