Neymar’s reputation might not be what it was after an injury-hit spell in Saudi Arabia, but his name still carries a lot of weight in the football world. And Arsenal fans’ ears will have perked up at the mention of a possible move to the Emirates for the Brazilian.
There have been no concrete rumours yet, although former Gunner Gilberto Silva has suggested joining Arsenal would make sense for Neymar, who is still sidelined by the cruciate ligament tear he suffered in September last year.
Now 33, Neymar has a contract with Al-Hilal until 2025, but would likely command a hefty salary. That and his injury record are likely to deter any Premier League clubs, but Gilberto clearly thinks otherwise.
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In an exclusive interview courtesy of Bet365’s Copa America coverage, Gilberto said: “I’d love to see Neymar in the Premier League with Arsenal, it would be interesting that’s for sure. It would bring a lot of joy to fans and make the competition even more special.
“When you look at the Premier League, we want to see the best players in the world and to have him around would be great. Let's see. It's not impossible that he could join Arsenal, why not.
“When Neymar decided to go to Saudi Arabia, the view from many Brazilians was not the best regarding the level of competition. It was a decision that he made and hopefully this doesn't impact his performances. It's tough, especially now because he got injured and then he can't do anything. However, you could be in Europe and get injured and then have to recover as well.”
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Arsenal are pushing hard to sign Ebere Eze from Crystal Palace, Joshua Kimmich has been linked and Mikel Merino is on the radar. Two Arsenal academy graduates are said to be up for sale, as well.
Meanwhile Leandro Trossard's father has blasted Belgium boss, Domenico Tedesco, and Granit Xhaka is set for an Emirates return with Bayer Leverkusen this summer.
