Neymar To PSG For Record $263 Million
NY Times- The Brazilian forward Neymar is expected to complete the richest transfer in soccer history this week after informing his club, Barcelona, that he wishes to join Paris Saint-Germain. The transfer fee alone will cost the French team $263 million, more than doubling the previous record.
As well as meeting the buyout clause in the player’s contract at Barcelona — €222 million, a figure once thought to be out of the question even for the world’s richest clubs — P.S.G. is prepared to pay Neymar around €30 million a year, after taxes (about $35 million), in salary over the next five years. Neymar’s father, who also acts as his agent, is expected to earn a commission in the region of €40 million.
Some estimates have put the total cost of the deal to P.S.G.’s Qatari owners at more than half a billion dollars, including various image rights allowances and, according to at least one report, a possible ambassadorial role for Neymar during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Neymar, 25, informed Barcelona of his wish to leave after returning to Spain from a brief promotional visit to China on Tuesday. He reported to Barcelona’s training center on the outskirts of the city on Wednesday morning, but, with the blessing of the club’s coach, Ernesto Valverde, did not join in training.
Neymar then will undergo a medical examination. P.S.G. is planning to present him as its player, and the most expensive in the history of the sport, by the end of the week. The record currently stands at $124 million, the fee Manchester United paid to Juventus last summer to sign midfielder Paul Pogba.
Barcelona’s players appeared resigned to Neymar’s decision, with Lionel Messi posting a tribute on Instagram. “It was a great pleasure to share all these years with you, friend,” Messi wrote. “I wish you good luck in this new stage of your life.”
This move has been processing for weeks, but it looks like both PSG and Barcelona have agreed to send Neymar to Paris for $263 million. That fee doesn’t even include what PSG will pay Neymar in salary–an additional $35 million/year for 5 years. And apparently the total cost could be north of half a billion dollars when you include image rights and throwing Neymar an ambassadorial role for the Qatari world cup. WOW.
European soccer really puts the crazy NBA/MLB fees to shame. Half a billion dollars for a human being! That’s one hell of an investment. Here’s hoping he doesn’t tear an ACL or suffer some career-ending injury anytime soon. I like Neymar a lot and was very impressed with his humility in playing with Messi and Suarez. These three formed arguably the greatest attacking trio in soccer history and boy, did they create some magical goals.
Sure is nice to have some of that endless Arab oil money filling your coffers and writing checks to land the biggest names in the game. Nobody gives a shit about French League 1 but it should be fun to watch PSG challenge for a Champions League title in the coming years.
PS- Soccer is my 2nd best sport for those counting at home.