Santos have three players nearing contract expiry, see their situations | OneFootball

The season has come to an end, and the management of Santos is starting to define the future of some players in the squad. At the moment, Peixe has three players whose contracts expire at the end of this year. They are: defender Zé Ivaldo, forward Barreal, and attacking midfielder Neymar. The first two are on loan to the club, while the last one is just at the end of his contract.

The three players have contracts with Santos only until December 31, 2025. All three finished the season as starters under coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda, but they are in different situations at the moment. Below, Gazeta Esportiva provides a brief overview of each player's situation.

Neymar

Neymar's renewal is considered the main priority for Santos at the moment, as revealed by president Marcelo Teixeira, but the star's stay is still a mystery. On the field, the midfielder proved his worth with the sacrifice made at the end of the season — even with a left knee injury, the number 10 was decisive for Peixe's stay in Serie A.

Marcelo Teixeira stated in an interview on Monday that Santos is "very confident" in Neymar's stay. Alvinegro Praiano is looking to pave the way for a possible return of Neymar to the Brazilian National Team. As everyone knows, the star's main goal at the moment is to be in the 2026 World Cup.

"We are in talks regarding these renewals, especially Neymar's. We are very confident. Neymar's project is also aimed at next year's World Cup, and we are in this dialogue for him to remain strengthening Santos once again next year," highlighted the president of Santos.

(Photo: Raul Baretta/ Santos FC)

In the last five games of the year, Neymar contributed with five goals and one assist. In total, there were 28 matches in the season (23 as a starter), with 11 goals and four assists. With this performance, he also finished the year as the second top scorer for Peixe, only behind Guilherme.

Despite the mystery surrounding Neymar's situation, the high management of Santos seems optimistic about the renewal of the number 10. Football director Alexandre Mattos and vice-president Fernando Bonavides have shown confidence in recent days when questioned about the matter, while coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda highlighted the importance of the star for the team.

Zé Ivaldo

Zé Ivaldo, on the other hand, experienced ups and downs at Santos this season. The defender started the year in the starting eleven but lost his place during Cléber Xavier's tenure. Later, he began as a substitute under Vojvoda's command but performed well in the opportunities he received and ended the season as an undisputed starter.

The defender is on loan to Santos from Cruzeiro and has a contract until the end of the year, but he will be acquired permanently by Peixe. The contract between the parties included a purchase obligation if Zé Ivaldo played 60% of the games he was available for during the year, a goal achieved by the player.

Therefore, the number 27's stay is practically guaranteed at Alvinegro Praiano, and barring any unforeseen events, he should remain in Vojvoda's squad for the next season. In 2025, Zé Ivaldo played 35 games for the team, 33 as a starter, and scored one goal.

Álvaro Barreal

Forward Álvaro Barreal is in a similar situation to Zé Ivaldo but faces a more uncertain scenario due to the high amounts involved. The Argentine is on loan to Santos from FC Cincinnati, USA, and has a contract valid until December 31, with a purchase clause set at 4 million dollars (R$ 21.7 million at the current exchange rate).

Santos has already shown interest in keeping the forward and has the priority to purchase the player's economic rights, at least until the last day of the year. The desire to bring Barreal permanently gained strength after the Argentine's good performances in decisive moments of the season.

Barreal ended the year as the third top scorer for Santos, with nine goals and one assist in 37 matches (29 as a starter). Like Zé Ivaldo, he also went from being a substitute to a starter under Vojvoda and finished the season entering the list of the club's top foreign scorers.

(Photo: Raul Baretta/ Santos FC)

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.