Neymar signs five-year deal to complete world record PSG move

Neymar completed his record-shattering transfer from Barcelona to Paris St Germain on Thursday, signing a five-year deal with the French club after they triggered his 222m euros ($263m) release clause.The 25-year-old Brazil forward, who will be presented to fans on Saturday, is committed to PSG until June 2022, the club said in a statement. Media reports have said he could earn around 550,000 euros per week."Today, with the arrival of Neymar Jr, I am convinced that we will come even closer, with the support of our faithful fans, to realizing our greatest dreams,” said PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. Both Barca and Spain's La Liga questioned whether the move complied with Uefa's financial regulations, with the club saying they would report the deal to European football's governing body.The transfer doubles the previous world record fee paid when Paul Pogba moved last August from Juventus to Manchester United for a 105m euros. With the Spanish giant certain to be in the market for a replacement for the Brazilian forward - and with a hefty budget to invest - the Neymar move could set off a chain reaction of deals at top clubs across Europe.Neymar said he was looking forward to delivering trophies for the French club. "I am extremely happy to join Paris St Germain," he said in the club's statement.

La vida de un deportista se mueve por desafíos. Algunos son impuestos, otros son fruto de nuestras decisiones. El Barcelona ha sido más que un desafío. Jugaba con aquellos cracks en el video juego. Llegué a Catalunya a los 21 años, lleno de desafíos. Recuerdo mis primeros días en el Club, compartiendo el vestuario con ídolos como Messi, Valdés, Xavi, Iniesta, Puyol, Piqué, Busquets y otros con la expectativa de jugar en un Club que es “més que un club”. El @fcbarcelona es una nación que representa a Catalunya! Tuve el honor de actuar con el mayor atleta que he visto en mi vida y estoy seguro que no veré a otro mejor, @leomessi se convirtió en mi compañero, amigo dentro y fuera del terreno de juego. Orgulloso de jugar contigo. Formé un ataque con @leomessi y @luissuarez9 que ha quedado para la historia. He conquistado todo lo que un deportista puede conquistar. He vivido momentos inolvidables! Vivo en una ciudad que es más que una ciudad, es una patria. Amo Barcelona y Catalunya. Pero un deportista (YO) necesita desafíos. Y por segunda vez en mi vida le llevaré la contraria a mi papa. Papa, entiendo y respeto tu opinión, pero mi decisión está tomada, te pido que me apoyes como siempre lo has hecho. El @fcbarcelona y Catalunya estarán siempre en mi corazón pero necesito nuevos desafíos. He aceptado la propuesta del @psg para buscar nuevas conquistas y ayudar al Club a alcanzar los títulos que la afición espera. Me han presentado un plan de carrera osado y me veo preparado para este desafío. Agradezco el cariño de la afición blaugrana y todo lo que he aprendido con los deportistas con quien he compartido vestuario. Asimismo siento en mi corazón que ha llegado el momento de irme. El @psg será mi nueva casa durante los próximos años y trabajaré para hacer honor a la confianza que depositan en mi futbol. Cuento mucho con el apoyo de todos. Aficionados, de mis amigos, de los profesionales que me acompañan y de mi familia, que ha sufrido mucho con problemas que han ocurrido en este periodo de mi carrera y merecen paz. Es una decisión difícil, pero tomada con la madurez de mis 25 años. @fcbarcelona , gràcies per tot! @psg , J'arrive! Que Dios nos bendiga y nos proteja!

A post shared by Nj ?? ? neymarjr (@neymarjr) on Aug 3, 2017 at 12:53pm PDT

"Since I arrived in Europe, the club has always been one of the most competitive and most ambitious. And the biggest challenge, what most motivated me to join my new team mates is to help the club to conquer the titles that their fans want.
"From today, I will do everything I can to help my new team mates, to open up new horizons for my club and to bring happiness to its millions of supporters around the world," he said.
Barca said on Thursday that Neymar's release clause had been paid. Barca said in a statement on their website (www.barcelona.com) that Neymar's legal representatives "visited in person the club's offices and made the payment of 222m euros..."The five-time European champion said they would pass on details of the operation to European football body Uefa "so that they can determine the disciplinary responsibilities that may arise from this case." Barca did not specify why they believed there may be a disciplinary issue relating to the deal.Javier Tebas, head of La Liga had earlier said that PSG were engaged in "financial doping" and the Spanish body would also complain to Uefa. Tebas referred to PSG, who are owned by Qatari Sports Investments, as a "state backed club".Uefa, whose financial fair play rules ban clubs from spending more than their generated revenue, declined to comment but a spokesman noted that international transfers are within the remit of global governing body Fifa. A source from Spain's La Liga said earlier on Thursday that the league had rejected the payment of the clause to them after Neymar's lawyers visited its headquarters in Madrid to try to settle the transfer and pay the fee.

Read more

Morocco's dual-national scouting policy pays rich dividends

For a while, dual-national footballers were a rarity in the Moroccan national...

World Cup fans barred from bringing water bottles into stadia

FIFA has banned fans from bringing refillable water bottles into World Cup...

Mourinho lined up as Riquelme promises Haaland and Rodri in Real Madrid election battle

Jose Mourinho has emerged as Florentino Pérez's preferred candidate to return...
© 2A Media Limited 2026