Neymar’s Return Forces Al-Hilal to Drop Renan Lodi

Neymar’s long-awaited return to the pitch is drawing closer, and Al-Hilal is preparing to make room for the Brazilian superstar by offloading Renan Lodi. Due to the Saudi Pro League‘s strict regulations allowing only eight foreign players per team, Al-Hilal must adjust their squad to accommodate Neymar.

Neymar, who has been sidelined since October 17, 2023, due to a “torn anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus,” is nearing full recovery. His return will force Al-Hilal to make a tough decision, as they currently have a full roster of foreign players, including stars like Bono, Joao Cancelo, Kalidou Koulibaly, Sergej Milinković-Savić, Rúben Neves, Malcom, and Aleksandar Mitrović.

To comply with the league’s rules, Al-Hilal plans to remove Renan Lodi from the roster to make space for Neymar. This move also anticipates the imminent arrival of Marcos Leonardo from Benfica, a 21-year-old talent who qualifies as one of the two allowed foreign players under 23 years of age.

Neymar has only played five matches for Al-Hilal since joining the team. His last appearance was cut short due to an injury sustained during a World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Uruguay. With the current international break, Neymar is expected to make his much-anticipated return to action soon.