Yes, you read it correctly. £198 Million. That more than doubles the previous world record of £89 million for a transfer set last year when Paul Pogba moved back to Manchester United from Juventus.
Neymar was previously locked into a 5 year deal with Barcelona, which he signed in October last year, which obviously made him expensive to buy. However, the Qatari owners were happy to pay the buyout clause to move Neymar to Paris.
As you can imagine there’s been quite a lot of anger from some of the Spanish fans, some even burning their Neymar shirts. A number of people are questioning his motive for moving with some saying he just wants to be the superstar. He was obviously never going to be the number 1 at Barcelona with Messi in the team whereas at PSG he is now undoubtedly the main star.
The move also gives Neymar a greater chance at winning the Ballon d’Or, football’s most sought after prize. He came third in the rankings back in 2015, however he still ‘dreams of being the best’ and winning. The current odds at SkyBet for Neymar to win the 2017 Ballon d’Or are 66/1, making him the fourth most likely to win behind Ronaldo, Messi and Buffon.
In response to some of the claims, Neymar has played down leaving Barcelona to become the superstar at PSG. He said ‘I came for the ambition of the club. I want to help this team to win titles.’ ‘It was my decision. I wanted to come to Paris. I wanted a new challenge. It wasn’t about feeling more of a star at Barcelona.’
PSG’s Ambition
PSG are clearly one of the most ambitious teams in Europe. They have spent over 500 million euros on players over the last few seasons in their quest for an ever-closer title. Last year they reached the last eight of the Champions League when they were knocked out by no other than Barcelona. They were also beaten by Monaco in the final of the french title, France Ligue 1.
With Monaco losing a handful of players since last season it would be a disaster for PSG not to win the French title considering how much they’ve spent on recent player signings. I’m sure they’ll be aiming to get right up there in the Champions League as well.
How Much will Neymar Earn?
Neymar will earn €45 million a year before tax which amounts to €865,000 a week. That keeps him in the top 5 highest-earning footballers along with Carlos Tevez, Lionel Messi and Christiano Ronaldo.
Using the transfer fee of £198 million what else could PSG have bought? Overall PSG will spend a whooping £400 million on Neymar for the five-year contract that’s been signed.
It seems that team owners are willing to pay ever-increasing prices for players. It surely won’t be long until a new world record is set and this Neymar transfer will be a drop in the ocean.