Brazilian forward cleared for PSG switch but Barca want full release fee to be paid upfront
The transfer of Neymar from Barcelona to Paris St Germain is truly representative of what themoderngamehasbecome.
There are so many layered elements associated with this move that render Neymar’s significance and qualities as a footballer, fine player though he undoubtedly is, almost incidental.
If football were the sole criteria Neymar would not be leaving Barcelona to go anywhere. The Nou Camp, alongside the Bernabeu and Old Trafford, is a place where the train completes its journey, not a stopping point along the way.
If, as is mooted, he feels the need to leave Barca to flourish independently of Leo Messi, pictured, and thus state more fully his claims to be the best player in the world, it is hard to see how he can achieve that in Ligue 1. At the very least he would need to win the Champions League, a prospect lessened by a switch to Paris.
It is clear that the signing of Neymar fits the geopolitical aims of a Qatari ownership desperate to shift global perceptions. The migration of football from sporting endeavour to business brand has utterly transformed the landscape.
You can see why any team would want Neymar among their ranks. And the move would hang together perfectly if it conformed to the historic principles of great team seeking the final piece of the jigsaw to compete once again at the highest level.
Paris St Germain are not a great club in the historic sense and do not compete in an elite league. In terms of ownership and geopolitical motivations Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City face similar problems persuading the football world of the authenticity of the product. Thanks to City we are living in the age of the £50 million full-back. Given City’s interest in untested Monaco supernova Kylian Mbappe at £170m, you wonder why there is not an Etihad airbus parked at Barcelona airport with the enginerunning,assumingyou can fit Neymar’s entourage in a 500-seater aircraft.
Not only do these ridiculously inflated sums pervert the market they disfigure the game and corrupt the competition, driving the best players towards an ever decreasing circle of wealthy clubs.
Barcelona must be kicking themselves that they did not set the buyout clause at an outlandishly high figure. Oh, wait a minute, they did. Their miscalculation was to assume there would be no-one mad enough to pay €222m.
Neymar obviously loves money, as do those around him. His complicated move from Santos to Barcelona four years ago is the subject of legal proceedings over allegations of fraud, corruption and tax evasion in Brazil and Spain. Such are the multi-million pound sums involved, it is easy to see how difficult it might be to regulate the many noses in the trough. It would not surprise to learn that a move to Paris is in some sense an attempt to leave that behind, though with amounts so great, no vested interest is going to walk awayfromwhattheybelieveis due, especially the relevant tax authorities.
With wages said to be north of £600k net a week in Paris, Neymar should be able to settle any legal arguments and still have enough to buy a beach hut on Ipanema beach when his days are done.
With the football season shortly upon us, the public are left to wonder what is becoming of the beautiful game. One of the world’s great players leaves one of the world’s great teams for no good reason other than to bank more of the millions he can never spend.
And one of the richest clubs on earth buys the associated cache for no other reason than to score a PR goal in its drive to be seen as a player on the world stage. Bonkers. Barcelona have given Neymar permission to discuss a move away from the club but will insist that his buy-out clause of €222 million (£198.5m) is paid in full.
The Brazil forward, heavily linked with a move to Paris St Germain, made a brief visit to Barca’s training ground yesterday to inform them of his wish to leave the club, departing before their training session began.
A club statement read: “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.
“Facedwiththisposition,the club has informed them they refer to the buy-out clause of his existing contract which as of 1 July totals 222million 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.” The former Santos player has a contract with Barca until 2021 but PSG, deposed by Monaco as French champions last term, appear prepared to activate his release clause. That would more than double the existing world record fee of €105m, then worth £89m, that Manchester United paid Juventus for Paul Pogba last summer.
In his three seasons in Catalunya, Neymar has helped Barca win La Liga twice, the Champions League once, the Copa del Rey on three occasions and the Fifa Club World Cup.
Neymar, 25, reportedly met with PSG chairman Nasser Al-khelaifi in Qatar on Tuesday. Al-khelaifi was giving nothing away during an interview with Moroccan broadcaster Medi 1 TV over the weekend.
In quotes reported by various European news outlets on Tuesday, Al-khelaifi said: “Right now, Neymar is a Barcelona player and we’ll see what happens with him.
“We respect all contracts signed with other clubs and players.”
Lionel Messi wished his Barca team-mate of four years his best wishes after hearing the news.
The Argentinian posted on his Instagram account: “It was an enormous pleasure to have shared all these years with you friend @neymarjr I wish you good luck in this new stage of your life.”