Neymar replies ‘I will miss you’ to Messi’s Barca farewell message
Lionel Messi has bid Neymar farewell and ‘good luck’ as the Brazilian edges closer to completing a world record move to PSG.
Barcelona have confirmed that Neymar has asked for permission to leave the club with PSG expected to complete a £198m transfer early next week.
Messi and Neymar formed two thirds of the so-called ‘MSN’ strike-force that has wreaked havoc on Europe over the past four years, scoring 364 goals as triumvirate.
“It was an enormous pleasure to have shared all these years with you friend Neymar,” Messi wrote, alongside a video montage of the pair’s highlights as team-mates and friends.
“I wish you luck in this new stage of your life. I love you.”
Neymar replied to the message: “Thank you brother. I will miss you!”
Barcelona said in a statement this lunchtime: “The player Neymar Jr, accompanied by his father and agent, has informed FC Barcelona this morning of his decision to leave the club in a meeting held at the club’s offices.
“Faced with this position, the club has informed them they refer to the buy-out clause of his existing contract which as of 1 July totals 222 million euros which will have to be deposited in its entirety.
“Furthermore, in reply to the claim for the contract extension bonus, the club has once again made it clear that the amount remains deposited with a notary until the case is resolved.
“The player remains under contract at FC Barcelona but with temporary permission to not take part in training sessions.”
Neymar won two La Liga honours and one Champions League title as a Barcelona player. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Athlete P U Chitra, whose exclusion from the Indian squad for the upcoming World Athletics Championships triggered a controversy, would get a monthly scholarship of Rs 10,000 besides allowance for training, Kerala Government said on Wednesday.
A state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here also decided to employ in its services Indian footballer C K Vineeth, who lost his central government job recently due to lack of attendance.
Chitra, hailing from a financially backward family in Mundoor in Palakkad, would also be given a daily allowance of Rs 500 to meet her training and food expenses in addition to the scholarship, the statement said. The Kerala athlete, who has won several national and international gold medals, was excluded by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) from the team for the London event to be held this month. The sports community in the state and the state government had backed Chitra over the issue. Chitra moved the Kerala High Court which last week ordered the Centre and the AFI to ensure her participation in the world meet. A contempt plea by her is also pending. The government decided to extend monetary support to the athlete in view of her brilliant performance and her poor family background, the statement said. MANCHESTER: Former Manchester United star Ryan Giggs has criticised former English Premier League (EPL) champions Manchester City, asserting that the side lacks a strong defensive line-up which may cost them in the 2017-18 season.
Manchester City have got rid of a host of experienced players in recent days, including defensive midfielder Pablo Zabaleta and defenders Gael Clichy and Alexander Kolarov.
They have also sold goalkeeper Willy Cabellero to reigning EPL champions Chelsea, bringing in Ederson Santana de Moraes as replacement.
“I think Manchester City are the team to beat though. I looked at them towards the end of last season and the forward players they’ve got is scary, with Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus, Leroy Sane, Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva and Raheem Sterling,” Giggs wrote in a column on Sky Sports.
“What they needed to get right was their defence and it will be interesting to see how Ederson settles in, because you don’t win the Premier League with an average goalkeeper,” he added.
Gigg’s former club Manchester United have brought in prolific striker Romelu Lukaku from Everton FC during the pre-season as a replacement for Swedish star Zlatan Imrahimovic who has completed his contract period.
Giggs asserted that Lukaku is exactly what the club needed, but added that the Belgium international needed to improve his first touch.
“Manchester United needed some new blood and the injury to Zlatan Ibrahimovic removed the question as to whether he was replaced. Romelu Lukaku will score goals, there’s no doubt about that.