Neymar: I'll have knee surgery next. Contract extension? I don't know.

Brazilian football star Neymar officially announced on Monday that he will undergo surgery to repair the meniscus in his left knee.

Neymar began experiencing discomfort in his left knee after the Brazilian Serie A match against Mirasol on November 19th, and examinations revealed a torn meniscus in his left knee. To help Santos achieve their goal of avoiding relegation, Neymar chose to play through the injury in the final three rounds of the Brazilian league, scoring four goals and providing one assist.

Thanks to Neymar's crucial performance, Santos escaped the relegation zone with 47 points (12 wins, 11 draws, 15 losses) and secured a place in the Copa Sudamericana in 12th place. After the match, an excited Neymar stated, "We played our own style, didn't back down against the strongest opponents in the league, and successfully earned points. Santos deserves better results and remains at their peak."

“That’s why I’m here, and I want to do everything I can to help the team. The past few weeks have been very difficult for me, and my mental state hit rock bottom at one point. I want to thank those who have been by my side and helped me get back on my feet. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to play in the recent games. I also want to thank God. These injuries, especially the knee problems, have been bothering me. Now it’s time to rest. After that, we will have knee surgery.”

According to a previous ESPN report, Neymar is about to undergo a partial meniscectomy. The main purpose of this surgery is to relieve pain and treat the injured area, with a recovery period expected to be 20 to 25 days.

Neymar's current contract with Santos expires in December, but a renewal has yet to be decided. When asked about this, Neymar only said, "I don't know. I told them to wait until after the game. Now I want to rest for a week and put football aside for a while. But obviously, my heart will always belong to Santos. I will put Santos first."