In a shocking move, Al-Hilal are reportedly preparing to de-register Brazilian superstar Neymar from their squad for the rest of the season. Neymar’s injury will keep him out till the end of the season. Al Hilal already has eight non-Saudi players on their roster.
Al Hilal coach Jorge Jesus wants to sign a foreign full-back but it will not be possible until they de-register one of their foreigners. Neymar is the only overseas player not available for selection and hence it looks like an easy choice for the Saudi Pro League team.
Neymar sustained a serious knee injury in Brazil’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying loss to Uruguay last month. Following tests, it was confirmed that Neymar had torn his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and damaged the meniscus of his left knee. The former PSG forward will be out for the remainder of the season. He faces a difficult task of being fit before next summer’s Copa America at the United States.
No Neymar for Al Hilal this season
Now, Al-Hilal plans to temporarily suspend Neymar’s registration in light of the injury, according to Saudi Arabian outlet Arriyadiyah.
The Saudi Pro League regulations state that a team can only have eight players who are not Saudi nationals on its roster. According to the report, the Portuguese coach, Jorge Jesus, is looking to strengthen his squad in January by signing an overseas left back.
The report claims that following talks between Neymar and the club’s management, the 25-year-old will now remain out of the team until he has recovered from his injury, with the club already boasting eight foreign players.
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The foreign players currently registered for Al Hilal are Moroccan keeper Yassine Bounou, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Brazilian pair Malcolm and Michael, along with Neymar.
Despite signing for a hefty fee last summer, Neymar’s latest injury woes followed a difficult first half of the season in the Middle East where he scored just once in five games for Al Hilal.
However, Al Hilal currently sit at the top of SPL. They are four points clear of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr.
The Saudi team will be in action again on Friday afternoon, when they will take on the fourth-place team in the league, Al Taawon.
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