RIO DE JANEIRO, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- Brazil manager Dorival Junior said Sunday that he expects Neymar to recapture his best form as the forward seeks to jumpstart his stalled career with Santos.

Last week, Neymar signed a six-month contract with the club, where he began his career after ending an injury-hit spell on the Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal with mutual consent.

"Right now, this is what he needs: to play in a place where he feels the affection of his fans, the place where he was born and introduced himself to the world," Dorival told TV Globo.

"Now he is returning, still in a position to be a dominant player in world football. I have no doubt that is going to happen. Little by little he is recovering and he'll be an important player again."

Neymar made just seven appearances for Al-Hilal following his August 2023 move from Paris Saint-Germain.

The 32-year-old sustained a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament while playing for Brazil in a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023. He returned to action in October last year but has since struggled for form and fitness.

Despite praising the former Barcelona star, Dorival did not say whether Neymar - who played for Santos from 2009 to 2013 - was in his plans for Brazil's World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina in March.

The Brazilian national team's all-time leading scorer is expected to be available for Santos' home clash against Botafogo-SP on Wednesday. Enditem

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