Daily Star

FANS GO CRAZY FOR NEYMAR

Queues to grab No10 shirt

- By OLIVER PRITCHARD oliver.pritchard@dailystar.co.uk

ECSTATIC PSG fans queued round the block for hours to get their hands on a Neymar No10 jersey.

The shirts went on sale at the Parisbased club even before the world’s most expensive footballer had been officially unveiled.

He later appeared at a press conference after signing on the dotted line, which pays him an eye-watering £500,000 a week after tax in a record-breaking transfer fee of £198million.

The former Barcelona player, 25, later said he was happy to play in today’s Ligue 1 opener against Amiens SC.

Speaking about his decision to leave the Spanish club, he said: “I was never motivated by money.

“It was one of the most difficult decisions ® I’ve ever made, I was at a great club at Barcelona, I love Barcelona, I have great friends at the club.

“They are fantastic players – it wasn’t easy at all. It was very tense. I had to think, re-think and think again about what I wanted to achieve in my life.

“I’ve left a lot of very good friends behind, but that’s football. Things go really fast in football, you make friends at every team you play for and that’s everything.

“I’d like to thank my friends at Barcelona but I felt it was the right time to leave and look for something different.”

After news of his transfer broke, the astronomic­al sum drew criticism from some in the game. Former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan tweeted: “This #neymar transfer is an obscenity, (it) drags football into places we don’t want it. The financial levels are now absurd, no heritage left.”

As he was unveiled pictures were widely circulated online of the latest version of football video game PES 2018.

It featured pictures of several Barcelona players including Lionel Messi, and the now ex-striker Neymar still sporting his old club’s kit.

It is not known if the cover will be changed.

 ??  ??
 ??  ??
 ??  ?? ROUND THE BLOCK: Fans wait to buy a jersey
ROUND THE BLOCK: Fans wait to buy a jersey
 ??  ??
 ??  ?? ®Ê MONEY NOT THE MOTIVE: Neymar says it was the most difficult decision he has ever made. Left, at a press conference and supporter with shirt
®Ê MONEY NOT THE MOTIVE: Neymar says it was the most difficult decision he has ever made. Left, at a press conference and supporter with shirt

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom