Brazilian star Neymar has withdrawn from negotiations over a move to Cincinnati FC after talks stalled and failed to progress, despite the player's interest in experiencing Major League Soccer, according to The Athletic.
The report revealed that Cincinnati FC made no formal offer to sign Neymar, despite sporting director Chris Albright and club president Jeff Berding travelling to Brazil in April, where they met the player and his father to discuss the possibility of a transfer. The report noted that Neymar felt club officials had not treated the deal with sufficient seriousness, prompting him to end the negotiations.
The Athletic indicated that Neymar remains open to an MLS experience with another club if the right conditions arise, while he is currently contracted to Santos until the end of the year. The Brazilian forward has scored 6 goals and provided 4 assists in 15 appearances for his club this season, before returning to feature for the Brazil national team at the 2026 World Cup following his recovery from injury. He took part in the 3-0 victory over Scotland and helped the Seleção top their group with 7 points.
The report added that MLS clubs have intensified their efforts in recent years to sign world-class stars, capitalising on the enormous commercial success generated by Lionel Messi's arrival, as part of their plans to boost the league's profile ahead of new broadcasting rights negotiations scheduled for 2028 and 2029.
The tournament has also seen the arrivals of prominent names including Marco Reus, Hugo Lloris, Thomas Müller, Son Heung-min, Rodrigo De Paul, James Rodríguez, and Timo Werner, while Antoine Griezmann is set to join this summer. Meanwhile, Inter Miami are closing in on a deal for Casemiro, and Chicago Fire are pursuing Robert Lewandowski.