Neymar doesn’t get it all his own way
NEYMAR has forfeited a bumper loyalty bonus from Barcelona after departing for PSG in a recordbreaking £200m move ahead of schedule.
The 25-year-old Brazil forward has signed a five-year contract with the ambitious Ligue 1 club, becoming the most expensive footballer in history.
Neymar will reportedly earn £27m per year, around £520,000 each week after tax.
However, his father Neymar Santos Sr, who has managed his son’s career since his emergence at Santos, will not collect a £23.4m loyalty bonus from Barca as its conditions were not met.
Barca spokesman Josep Vives saida: “The club will not pay the bonus to Neymar’s father.
“There were three conditions – the player must not negotiate his departure from the club during the month before the bonus became payable, he must demonstrate his desire to fulfil his contract, and that we would not pay out the bonus before September 1, to ensure the transfer window was closed.
“Now that we know that none of these three conditions were met, we will not honour that bonus.”
The most valuable player of all time – succeeding Paul Pogba following the Frenchman’s £89m switch to Manchester United last summer – was presented to the PSG fans the Parc des Princes yesterday ahead of the game against Amiens.
Neymar insists he has moved to the French capital out of ambition.
Money was not his sole motivation, he claimed, expressing his sadness that certain individuals have accused him of following riches instead of pursuing further honours with Barca.
He said: “I wanted something bigger, a bigger challenge. This was about ambition.
“My heart told me that it was time to sign for Paris St Germain. It was the right time to leave Barcelona.”