'CEO Neymar' reportedly pays £2m out of his own pocket to pay off Santos’ transfer ban, then signs his old Brazil buddies

Neymar has continued to make his influence felt at Santos despite being sidelined with injury, with the Brazilian reportedly playing a decisive role in helping the club escape its transfer ban and bring in some familiar names.The Santos star has been out since suffering a thigh injury on September 2 during the second leg of the club's Brazilian Cup quarter-final against Palmeiras. While he has been unable to contribute on the pitch, his work away from it has helped Santos reshape their squad at a crucial stage of the season.The club had been prevented from registering new players after FIFA imposed a three-window transfer ban following a dispute with AS Monaco over the July 2023 transfer of Jean Lucas. Now, with the sanction lifted, Santos have moved quickly, bringing in former Liverpool players Arthur and Philippe Coutinho alongside other reinforcements.Neymar's marketing company reportedly paid €2m to lift Santos' banSantos' transfer ban dates back to July 1, 2025, when FIFA imposed the sanction after the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected the club's appeal against AS Monaco's claim.Monaco had demanded €2 million over the transfer of Jean Lucas, leaving Santos unable to sign players during the three-window punishment.According to reports in L'Equipe, Neymar's family's sports marketing company, NR Sports, stepped in and allegedly paid the €2 million required to resolve the dispute and lift the ban.That intervention gave Santos the freedom to strengthen their squad, and the club wasted little time taking advantage of it.One of the first arrivals was Arthur Melo, the 30-year-old midfielder and Neymar’s former Brazil teammate, who joined on a short-term contract running until December 2026. The Brazilian defensive midfielder had struggled to establish himself in Europe after spells with Barcelona and Juventus, but his career also includes a brief and frustrating stint in the Premier League.Arthur joined Liverpool on loan from Juventus on September 1, 2022, with the Reds paying €4.5 million for the temporary deal. There had been hopes that he could eventually become an important player at Anfield after showing glimpses of his quality at Barcelona and Juventus.Instead, physical problems restricted him to just one appearance.Arthur made his Liverpool debut in a 4-1 Champions League defeat to Napoli, coming off the bench for 13 minutes. It was his only appearance for the club before he returned to Italy, with Liverpool ultimately choosing not to exercise their option to buy him.Santos have now offered him an opportunity to revive his career back in Brazil.Philippe Coutinho was persuaded by Neymar reunionCoutinho's Liverpool career could hardly have been more different.The 34-year-old spent five and a half seasons at Anfield after Brendan Rodgers signed him from Inter Milan for £8.5 million. He went on to make 201 appearances, scoring 54 goals, and became one of Liverpool's most influential attacking players.Coutinho was particularly important during Liverpool's Premier League title challenge in the 2013-14 season, forming part of an explosive attacking unit alongside Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Raheem Sterling.He subsequently became a key figure during the early years of Jurgen Klopp's reign before Barcelona paid £142 million to sign him in January 2018.That sale proved hugely significant for Liverpool, with the money helping the club finance major additions including Virgil van Dijk and Alisson as they built a squad capable of competing for the Premier League and Champions League.Coutinho's path has since taken him through Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Aston Villa and Vasco da Gama. His Vasco contract was terminated in February, and he was reportedly edging towards retirement before Santos emerged as an option.The prospect of playing alongside Neymar again proved decisive.The pair already share a long history, having played together for Brazil at the 2009 Under-17 World Cup and the 2022 World Cup. Coutinho has now agreed to join Santos, giving Neymar another familiar face to work with as the club attempt to climb the Brazilian football hierarchy.Everton Cebolinha has also joined the rebuilding project. The 30-year-old winger, who has won 25 international caps, had struggled to make an impact at Flamengo following his 2022 move from Benfica.His decision to move to Santos was heavily influenced by Neymar.“I was very close to signing in Russia, but the prospect of playing with Neymar was too tempting. I spoke to him and knew I had to go,” Everton said.Santos' ambitions are growing after Neymar's interventionThe arrivals come at a significant moment for Santos, who are attempting to turn their season around and compete on multiple fronts.They are chasing a place in the Copa Sudamericana semi-finals after beating Atletico Mineiro 2-0 in the first leg, while their league campaign has also prompted the club to strengthen now that the transfer ban has been lifted.Neymar's influence has therefore extended well beyond his role as Santos' star player. His reported involvement in resolving the €2m dispute has allowed the club to bring in players who would otherwise have been unavailable, while his personal relationships have helped convince experienced Brazilians to return to the club.The excitement among Santos supporters is already evident.UOL portal journalist Bruno Lima acknowledged that the new arrivals are not necessarily at the peaks of their careers, but argued that they can still make a difference to the team.“These new signings are still a long way from their peak level, but they will bring added value to the team,” Lima said.He added that supporters were not currently focused on the financial consequences because “the bill still has to be paid”, but that the signings had restored something Santos had been missing.“The fans have rediscovered their ambition. They are beside themselves with excitement and love this Neymar, who has developed into a CEO!”Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.