Santos financial director hopes club can bring icon Neymar home

On Thursday afternoon, new interviews took place, this time by the sea, under the command of Ricardo Oliveira Duarte, Audio Country Manager of Flashscore Brazil.

To follow the broadcast, simply play the player below or access Flashscore's YouTube channel. The interview took place in Portuguese.

In the conversation with Goncalves - starting at 47 minutes - the question about Neymar's return to Santos was inevitable, taking advantage of the fact that the player has a contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal until the middle of 2025.

There is even speculation that the termination of the contract between the parties could lead to the former Santos and Barcelona player arriving in Vila Belmiro as early as January. 

The financial director said: "There was this interest in the past management, Neymar has incredible economic power wherever he goes. If he comes, I don't have to worry too much about the financial side. He pays for himself, just with his presence, shirt sales, tickets, etc. But it's a complex operation that doesn't just depend on the club or the player.

"Our agreement with Libra states that 40% of the total amount is equal, 30% is by ranking and another 30% by audience.

This audience, with the presence of Neymar, could bring Santos an extra R$40 million ($6.8 million) to R$60 million a year ($10 million), in addition to other income that will be generated," he analyses. 

The benefits between the parties would be mutual, not only on the pitch but also when the player retires, something that is already being considered by the player's staff.

Goncalves added: "This partnership has potential, even when he stops playing. They have associated brands, just like Santos and Pele. There is already a project thinking about it and I hope it happens.

"He's an exceptional athlete, I've known him since he played indoor football."

This article was translated from Portuguese - to read the original article, click here.