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FC Cincinnati have been pursuing a marquee signing, but Neymar Jr dismissed speculation about joining the MLS side, stating that he plans to honor his contract with Brazil's Santos before considering other opportunities.
"Honestly, I'm not sure," Neymar told ESPN when questioned about the Ohio club's interest, which has reportedly involved detailed discussions between the club and his representatives. "I have a contract with Santos through the end of the year, and I plan to see it out."
While the Brazilian icon would draw significant attention to TQL Stadium, his availability for demanding fixtures could be restricted. Despite captaining Santos in Brazil's Serie A, he has featured in just eight matches in 2026 while recovering from a persistent knee injury.
Nevertheless, Neymar has made an impression in those outings, contributing four goals and three assists, demonstrating that he remains a capable performer in a competitive league, even in a reduced capacity.
Best remembered for his spell at Barcelona alongside current Inter Miami stars Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, Neymar has battled recurring injuries since departing the club in 2017. An ankle problem plagued his tenure at Paris Saint-Germain from 2017 to 2023, before an ACL injury curtailed his brief stint with Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal.
Neymar's Faces Late Fitness Test for 2026 World Cup
Despite questions over his fitness, Neymar has kept the 2026 World Cup firmly in his sights, aiming to earn a place in manager Carlo Ancelotti's squad for the first time since the Italian tactician took charge. The forward has been absent from the Seleção since 2023.
"He's currently being assessed by the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation), by me, and he still has two months to prove that he has what it takes to compete at the next World Cup," Ancelotti said in an interview with L'Equipe.
"I will select players who are physically fit," Ancelotti added. "Following his knee injury, Neymar has returned well; he's finding the net. He needs to keep going in this direction and build his fitness levels. He's heading the right way."
Neymar's Links to MLS
The current speculation surrounding FC Cincinnati is far from the first instance of Neymar being connected to MLS, with earlier rumors tying him to some of the league's highest-profile markets, including Inter Miami and clubs in both Los Angeles and New York.
Cincinnati, however, view themselves as a potentially appealing destination for the attacker, given the financial resources the club can bring to the table and the rising trend of global stars signing with smaller-market clubs, including Thomas Müller, for whom Cincinnati previously held discovery rights, with the Vancouver Whitecaps and James Rodríguez with Minnesota United, among others.
While Cincinnati may not be in a position to finalize an agreement until his contract concludes at the end of December, they would also likely need to make considerable roster adjustments, as the current squad already lists Evander, Kévin Denkey and Miles Robinson as three Designated Players, whose wages are too substantial to be reduced below the required threshold.
Should he ultimately make the move to MLS, he would join an ever-growing roster of global stars in the league, which already features Marco Reus with the LA Galaxy, Müller in Vancouver, Hugo Lloris and Son Heung-min with LAFC, Antoine Griezmann with Orlando City, and several others.