FC Cincinnati have been hunting for a big name, but Neymar Jr played down talks of him joining the MLS club, saying that he intends to finish his contract with Brazil’s Santos before looking at other options.
“I honestly don’t know,” Neymar told ESPN when asked about the Ohio club’s interest, which has been reported to involve advanced talks between the club and his camp. “I have a contract with Santos until the end of the year, and I intend to see it through.”
While the Brazilian legend would bring the spotlight to TQL Stadium, his ability to play in grueling matches could be limited. Despite serving as Santos’ captain in Brazil’s Serie A, he has played only eight games in 2026 after recovering from an ongoing knee injury.
Yet, Neymar has been productive in those appearances, recording four goals and three assists, showcasing that he can still be an impactful player in a challenging league, even if it means playing less of a starting role.
Most known for his time with Barcelona, alongside now Inter Miami stars Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, Neymar has dealt with ongoing injuries since leaving the club in 2017. Initially, an ankle injury hampered his time with Paris Saint-Germain from 2017 to 2023, before an ACL tear limited his abilities in a short time with Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal.
Neymar’s Faces Late Fitness Test for 2026 World Cup
Despite fitness concerns, Neymar has still set the 2026 World Cup as a target for himself, wanting to crack manager Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the first time since the Italian boss took over. The forward has not featured for the Seleção since 2023.
“He’s currently being evaluated by the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation), by me, and he still has two months to show that he has the qualities to play in the next World Cup,” Ancelotti said in an interview with L’Equipe.
“I’m going to call up the players who are physically ready,” Ancelotti added. “After his knee injury, Neymar has come back well; he’s scoring goals. He needs to continue in this direction and improve his fitness. He’s on the right track.”
Neymar’s Links to MLS
The recent links with FC Cincinnati are far from the first time that Neymar has been linked with MLS, with previous rumors connecting him with some of the league’s most prominent markets, including Inter Miami and teams in both Los Angeles and New York.
Instead, Cincinnati sees themselves as a potentially attractive option for the attacker, given the financial weight the club can offer and the growing trend of superstars signing with smaller-market clubs, including Thomas Müller, who Cincinnati previously held discovery rights for, with the Vancouver Whitecaps and James Rodríguez with Minnesota United, among others.
While Cincinnati might not be able to work out a deal with him until his contract expires at the end of December, they would also likely need to make more significant roster moves, as the roster currently includes Evander, Kévin Denkey and Miles Robinson as three Designated Players, whose salaries are too high to be brought down below the threshold.
Should he decide to make the MLS move at some point, he would join the growing list of superstars in the league, which already includes Marco Reus with the LA Galaxy, Müller in Vancouver, Hugo Lloris and Son Heung-min with LAFC, Antoine Griezmann with Orlando City, among others.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘I Intend’—Neymar Breaks Silence on Blockbuster MLS Links.
