Neymar's camp, FC Cincinnati engage in preliminary discussions: Sources

Atlanta UnitedAustin FCClub de Foot MontréalCharlotte FCCrewUnitedDynamoEarthquakesFC CincinnatiFC DallasFireGalaxyInter Miami CFLAFCMNUFCNashville SCNYCFCCity SCRapidsRed BullsReal Salt LakeRevolutionSan Diego FCSounders FCSporting KCSt. Louis City SCTimbersToronto FCUnionWhitecaps FCScores & ScheduleStandingsPodcastsNeymar’s camp, FC Cincinnati engage in preliminary discussions: Sources Alexandre Schneider / Getty Images Share full articleFC Cincinnati has engaged Neymar’s camp in preliminary discussions about a move to MLS, per sources briefed on the situation. The sources cautioned that the discussions around the Brazilian star are in the very early stages. Cincy is gauging Neymar’s interest and requirements, while also having internal conversations about whether pushing to sign the global superstar makes sense, sources add. Cincinnati believes the club is a destination for global names and U.S. national team stars alike and has explored potential deals in the past, most notably with USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie and forward Josh Sargent. The club believes its financial power and new facilities would be attractive to a star like Neymar. There is time to see if the pieces fit. Neymar is under contract with Santos, his boyhood club, until the end of 2026. The Chicago Fire previously had serious negotiations with Neymar when he left Al Hilal in 2025, but he ultimately signed a short-term contract with Santos and has since renewed for a further season. Neymar, 34, helped guide the team away from relegation at the end of 2025. He had 11 goals and four assists across all competitions in just over 2,000 minutes. This year, he has three goals and two assists across his first four league appearances as he hopes to prove fitness and form to Brazil national team head coach Carlo Ancelotti ahead of this summer’s World Cup. Neymar was not selected by Ancelotti for Brazil’s March friendlies. “Obviously I’m upset and sad not to have been selected,” Neymar said during a broadcast of Kings League Brazil, via ESPN Brazil. “But the focus remains the same, day after day, training session after training session, match after match. We’ll achieve our goal. There’s still one final squad announcement to go and the dream lives on. That’s it, we’re in this together.” Another potential complicating factor is that FC Cincinnati does not currently have an open designated player slot, with Kévin Denkey, Miles Robinson and Evander occupying the allotted three places for the rest of the year. All are under long-term contracts and cannot be bought down to open a DP spot, though Denkey had serious European interest at the end of the winter transfer window. He joined Cincy for a club-record $16.1 million fee ahead of the 2025 season. MLS teams have had a renewed focus on bringing in global stars after the commercial success of Messi, and as they look to attract more viewers in the lead-up to a media rights negotiation in 2028 and 2029. The league’s current deal with Apple expires at the end of the 2028-29 season. Marco Reus (LA Galaxy), Hugo Lloris (LAFC), Thomas Müller (Vancouver), Wilfried Zaha (Charlotte), Son Heung-min (LAFC), Rodrigo De Paul (Miami), James Rodríguez (Minnesota), Timo Werner (San Jose) and Antoine Griezmann (Orlando City) are some of the names that have arrived — or, in the case of Griezmann, due to arrive — in MLS in recent years. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms