Neymar's return to Santos has fallen far short of the expectations set when the club managed to secure his transfer from Al-Hilal during the last winter transfer window. He has only played nine matches and has already suffered two muscle injuries. As a result, Santos' medical staff has decided to change their approach in hopes of getting him back on the field as soon as possible—and in the best possible condition.

Santos takes charge of Neymar's recovery

For nearly 40 days, Neymar had been working on his recovery from the injury that kept him out of the Campeonato Paulista semifinal against Corinthians, and from returning to the Brazil squad for the previous FIFA international break. However, it's clear that the process was not handled properly, as he suffered a recurrence of the same injury just two matches after returning.

During the initial injury, Neymar handled the entire recovery process with his personal medical staff. Now, according to information from UOL Esportes, the plan is for Santos’ medical team to oversee his treatment. Additionally, one of the club’s new requirements is for him to attend training center sessions and undergo double training sessions.

Santos wants to renew Neymar's contract

This is a strategy that Neymar has agreed to, clearly showing he's willing to do whatever it takes to return to play for Santos in top form. In fact, this past Monday, he voluntarily showed up at Santos’ training center—on a day when the rest of the squad had off.

The involvement of Marcelo Teixeira, president of Santos, has been key in this change of strategy for Neymar’s recovery. Santos is hoping to renew his contract for one more season. But they want to be sure of their decision, and in the best-case scenario, Santos would have him back with four matches to go before the Brasileirao breaks in mid-June.