Neymar and PSG, it's over. While we thought the Brazilian was untransferable, with four years left on his contract and an estimated annual remuneration of around €30 million, Saudi Arabia arrived. After breaking his teeth for Leo Messi and Kylian Mbappe, Al-Hilal has secured the services of the former Barcelonan. A transfer in the form of a turning point for Paris Saint-Germain, which gets rid of an element that has become cumbersome and will fill its coffers. Double whammy. There are already wage savings. But also the compensation that the Saudi club will pay: around € 90 million, excluding bonuses. This is less than half of what PSG spent in 2017, €222 million, a world record still in force. This figure, however, represents an unexpected manna for the club of the capital, knowing that apart from Barça, no major European club seems to have thought of embarking on the race to sign "Ney".
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We saw at the beginning of last season that he is still a great player, decisive and able to raise the crowds. But with such a salary, a consistent history of injuries and behavior, the suitors did not jostle ... Aiming to turn a page in its history, the Paris-SG was waiting, without certainty to have more success this year than the previous one. The club also informed Luis Enrique from the beginning that it did not count on Neymar, which the Spanish coach understood and accepted. Ironically, it is Saudi Arabia that will remove the thorn from the Qatari foot. Tasty when you know the relations between the two countries... It was still necessary that "Ney" agrees to follow in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mané. That has been done.
Biggest transfer in the club's history
An unexpected success, therefore, and a record. The transfer of the Brazilian in 2017 is indeed the highest in the history of the club, far ahead of Kylian Mbappé (€180 million), but it is also the case for the transaction that has just been formalized in the direction of departures. Until now, PSG had not sold a single player for more than €40 million, Gonçalo Guedes. Logical: Qatar's policy has been to keep its best players whatever the cost, before getting rid of them at the end of the course. A priori, it's over: Paris aims to build an economically viable squad, by betting mainly on young players, if possible French, and by not holding against their will those who want to leave. Everything to please a certain Mbappe, a time in the shadow of the number 10 but who ended up supplanting him at all levels. And to push him towards the exit, he who evolves in the same position, or at least on the same side? Neymar is obviously convinced, according to his latest like on Instagram. He is probably not totally wrong, although no one will say it openly. PSG assures us that it is 100% a decision of the club.
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Representing the same pitfalls in terms of seriousness and professionalism as said Neymar, Marco Verratti, 30, could be the next to leave the ship. Al-Hilal is also one of the tracks mentioned, it is even the hottest. The latest news, it is in this case an information of the Parisian, the club of Riyadh would also be on the ranks for Keylor Navas. One thing is certain: PSG is determined to turn a page this summer, and enter a "new era", as Nasser Al-Khelaïfi says. An era of which Mbappé is a part. Not Neymar. Thanks to Saudi Arabia, this is possible.
€400 million in cumulative transfers, a record
Neymar will reach the €400 million mark in addition to his three transfers, from Santos to Barcelona (2013, €88 million), from Barcelona to Paris (2017, €222 million) and therefore from PSG to Al-Hilal (€90 million). Until now, the record holder in this area was Romelu Lukaku (€333 million cumulatively). The Belgian is not expected to stay at Chelsea this summer, which should further increase his total, unless he leaves London on loan.
PSG: Neymar Jr and the 10 biggest transfers of the club in the direction of departures
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