Neymar, the star forward for Saudi Pro League champions Al-Hilal, will miss the club’s pre-season training as he continues to recover from knee surgery, coach Jorge Jesus confirmed on Tuesday.

"All I know now is that the time given to Neymar to recover and during similar injuries is approximately from 10 to 11 months," Jesus told reporters in Riyadh. "If we calculate mathematically, he will not be ready at the beginning of the pre-season training."

Neymar underwent surgery in Brazil last November to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus damage sustained during a national team match against Uruguay on October 17. The 32-year-old was stretchered off in tears after a collision with midfielder Nicolas de la Cruz during Brazil's 2-0 World Cup qualifying loss.

Despite his absence from the pitch, Neymar has remained active in various off-field engagements. He was recently seen ringside in Riyadh, watching Oleksandr Usyk defeat Tyson Fury for the world's first undisputed heavyweight championship in 25 years. Last month, a Brazilian court suspended a $3 million fine imposed on him for building a lake at his Rio de Janeiro mansion without an environmental license.

Additionally, Neymar made appearances at high-profile events including throwing the ceremonial first pitch at the Marlins' home MLB opener in Miami and attending the Formula One season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.

In January, Neymar was involved in a French finance and economy ministry investigation related to his 2017 transfer to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), amid suspicions of favorable tax treatment. Neymar joined PSG from Barcelona for a record fee of €222 million, scoring 118 goals in 173 matches before transferring to Al-Hilal in 2023.

His tenure at Al-Hilal has seen him earning €100 million a season, while PSG received €100 million from the transfer. Neymar was also recently omitted from Brazil's Copa America squad by national coach Dorival Junior.

Acknowledging Neymar's absence, coach Jesus highlighted the potential of Brazilian winger Malcolm, who has been a prolific scorer for Al-Hilal, netting 22 goals in 46 games. "The solution was Malcolm," Jesus noted, signaling confidence in the team's ability to adapt without Neymar.