'CEO' Neymar gets Santos transfer ban lifted and sets about signing his pals

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FT Desk

Neymar may not be featuring for Santos at the moment due to injury, but he's still playing his part off the pitch.

Between the 2024/25 season and now, Neymar has missed games over nine different periods due to injury and fitness issues. He recently went off at half-time against Palmeiras due to a hamstring injury and could be seen crying.

He would later blame the Palmeiras pitch as he and two team-mates all got injured in the Brazilian Cup tie.

Neymar has been busy, though, and recently got Santos' transfer ban lifted after paying a $2 million fine through his marketing company.

Santos were placed under a FIFA transfer ban in July of 2026 because of an unpaid debt to Monaco relating to the 2023 transfer of midfielder Jean Lucas.

The debt was around €2.03m. Santos had previously challenged the case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but its appeal was rejected. FIFA therefore banned the club from registering new players for three transfer windows, unless the outstanding amount was paid.

The ban was subsequently lifted after Santos settled the debt, eportedly with financial assistance from NR Sports, the company belonging to Neymar's family, reports L'Equipe.

Now that the transfer ban has been lifted, Neymar has taken it upon himself to invite some of his old pals to sign for the club.

Arthur Melo, previously of Barcelona, Juventus and Liverpool, has been signed, along with Philippe Coutinho and Everton Cebolinha.

"I was not far from signing in Russia, but the idea of playing with Neymar weighed on me. I talked to him and felt that I had to go," Everton said.

Coutinho was reportedly considering retirement before Neymar convinced him to sign for Santos, having seen his contract with Vasco terminated.

"They are recruits far from their peak, but they will bring added value," journalist Bruno Lima explained.

"For the moment, the supporters do not think about the financial consequences, because we will have to pay the bill.

"But the fans have regained the ambition. They are like crazy and love this Neymar, who has become CEO! "

The target now is for Santos to reach the Copa Sudamericana final. They recently defeated Atletico Mineiro in the first leg of a quarter-final tie in the tournament.