"The Age of Sparks Ends": On Neymar's Fall in PSG | Israel today

Five years ago Neymar became the most valuable footballer in history.

Paris Saint-Germain stunned the world when it agreed to pay Barcelona the full release clause of the Brazilian star - 222 million euros.

This crazy record has not been broken since, and is unlikely to be broken in the coming years.

But five years later PSG broke away from Neymar, and the French luxury club decided to get rid of him.

Will cost as much as it costs.

Last week, PSG president Nasser El Khalafi was interviewed by La Parisienne newspaper and said, among other things: "Dreams are one thing, but reality is another. Maybe we need to change our password. To dream big is good, but "Today we have to be realistic. We do not want to be glittering, bling-bling. The era of sparks is over."

And if the message was not understood enough, the Qatari president added: "We want players who love the team, who love to fight, who love to win. And that is the mentality that should prevail in the club."

The interviewer did not give up and asked: "Does Neymar have a future at PSG?"

And the answer was clear: "What I can tell you is that we expect all the players to do a lot more than they did last season. A lot more."

PSG may have won the French championship, but that did not change the fact that last season was crowned a failure, following the relegation in the last eight of the Champions League against Real Madrid.

Leo Messi joined Neymar and Killian Ambape last summer, with the real goal being to win the Champions League.

Nothing but that really counts.

And they were eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Nasr al-Khalafi.

"Dreams are one thing, but reality is another," Photo: EPA

When Neymar was acquired in the summer of 2017 he came with a stated goal to lead PSG to a Champions League win, and also to emerge from Messi’s shadow, with an undisguised aspiration to win the Golden Ball.

Both things did not happen.

And Neymar, who was the symbol of PSG for the first three years of the team, has become a redundant - especially in light of Ambape's rise, which has taken his place as the team's great symbol of the City of Lights.

Messi's joining has dramatically changed the situation in the team.

One did not have to be a great expert to understand that it was impossible, at least professionally, for the whole trio to play together, with neither of them actually contributing to the defensive game.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino was helpless.

The instructions from above were clear, and he had no real ability to keep one of the three superstars on the bench.

At a fairly early stage it was clear that the Argentine coach remained in office only because of the bombastic salary he received, and the compensation promised to him if and when he was sacked.

The key point in the story was when Killian Ambape stunned the whole world - and especially the Real Madrid people - when he announced that he was staying at PSG for another two years.

It was clear that if Ambape had agreed to stay, he had conditions.

And according to the French media, two of them were the appointment of Luis Campus as the new professional director (instead of Leonardo) - and the departure of Neymar.

Neymar, Messi, and Ambape.

The promising trio that fell big, Photo: Reuters

Campos, the 57-year-old Portuguese, was Monaco's professional manager from 2013 to 2016 and during his time Ambape rose to the seniors and led the team to the Champions League semi-finals and winning the French championship.

Campus came to PSG to put things in order on the professional side, after years in which the group was run mainly on commercial and marketing motives, and on the whims of al-Khalafi and his superiors, Qatari officials.

Everything he said to Khalafi in that interview, sounded like it was said from Campus' mouth.

And even if no one has said publicly that the wish is for Neymar to leave the team - no one has denied it either.

A few days later, an article was published in the Spanish newspaper "El Pais" in which anonymous quotes referred to Neymar's lack of professionalism.

"He does not like to train. How many years he has been playing with an overweight of 3 or 4 kg," the paper said. The PSG.

These leaks had one purpose: to make it clear to Neymar and his men that he should start looking for a new team.

Because he will not play at PSG next season.

but there is a problem.

A very heavy problem.

A problem that currently makes it very difficult to find a new destination for the Brazilian star - the contract.

Neymar's contract with PSG was automatically updated today, July 1, and is now valid until 2027, that is, for another five years.

His salary stands at 38 million euros a year.

In other words, PSG must pay Neymar 190 million euros over the next five years, no matter if he plays or sits in the stands!

Of course, there is no team in the world that would be willing to pay Neymar such a monstrous salary, certainly when it comes to a player over 30, who is in decline, and who has finished the worst season of his career (only 13 goals).

And seemingly there is no reason for him to give up what he deserves.

And even if PSG is willing to participate in part of the salary, it is hard to believe that the group will agree to purchase it in the amounts we are talking about: 70-80 million euros. 

As far as Neymar is concerned, it is clear that he will not be ready to take to the stands, as in less than five months the World Cup will open in Qatar, and he is still one of the most important players of the Brazilian national team.

There is no way he will not play in the months leading up to the start of the World Cup, which will probably be the last in his career.

And it's no longer a matter of money.

And let’s not forget, Neymar is just six goals away from breaking Pele (77) ’s record and becoming the greatest Celsa conqueror of all time.

Neymar.

In the Brazilian national team, things are going much better, Photo: Reuters

In recent days, the media around the world has been trying to figure out what options Neymar is facing, when it is likely that at least in the coming season it will be a question of loan.

The first name that came up was that of Chelsea, who after releasing Romulo Lukaku, should strengthen in the offensive part.

Thomas Tuchel coached Neymar and together the two reached the Champions League final.

Brakeman Thiago Silva, who was also at PSG at the time and now plays for Tuchel, said this week: "Neymar must get to Chelsea."

And Tuchel has said of him before: "He has a good heart."

Todd Bohlie, Chelsea's new owner, has made it clear he will put in over £ 200m to bolster the club. So Chelsea can meet the costs.

Another group mentioned is Newcastle, which was acquired last year by a Saudi investment company. Newcastle also has no economic restrictions and joining a global star on the scale of Neymar could bounce Newcastle into the major leagues, professionally and marketing-wise. Joelinton, the Brazilian star of Newcastle , Said this week that "if I have a chance to talk to him, I'll tell him that shirt number 10 is guaranteed for him."

On the other hand, the English teams may be afraid of the addition of "Primadonna" like Neymar, and the intensity of the Premier League may not really suit a player of his kind.

So in the last two days, the name of Santos, the team where Neymar grew up and which he left 10 years ago, when he joined Barcelona, ​​also came up.

Santos obviously has no way of paying the sums that Chelsea and Newcastle can pay - but this is a place where Neymar will be able to play and keep fit until the World Cup.

And besides, Santos fans have never stopped admiring him.

There he will really feel at home.

Santos president Andres Ruada said when asked about the possibility: "We are taking steps in that direction. I have received hundreds of messages from fans about Neymar. I hope they trust us."

Another team mentioned is Juventus, who have already signed Di Maria and are close to joining Pardes as well, as I remember two good friends of "Nye".

But the chances of that are slim, after Yuba has already signed Paul Pogba, whose salary is among the highest in Italy.

And there is always Barcelona, ​​the team where Neymar recorded the most successful chapter of his career.

In his four seasons at Barça he has won eight titles, including the Champions League, and along with Messi and Luis Suarez, they have been the best attacking trio in history.

Neymar wanted to return to Barcelona a few times before, but PSG were unwilling to hear about it.

Now that PSG want to resign, it's not certain Barcelona want him back.

Messi and Neymar in Barcelona.

Is there still a chance for a comeback ?, Photo: EPA

Xavi knows Neymar very well.

After all, they played together.

But Xavi is building a young team, and not sure the 30-year-old superstar, who does not make a defense, is the player he needs.

And that's before we talk about Barça's financial problems.

For Xavi and President Joan Laporta, the priority is to land Robert Lewandowski at the Camp Nou, not Neymar.

In less than a month, on July 31, PSG will be at Bloomfield Stadium for the French Super Cup match against Nantes.

She will arrive with new coach Christoph Galattiya, perhaps even with Leo Messi (Ambape will be absent due to yellow cards).

Neymar?

By then he will probably already be in his new team.

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