SINGAPORE - The poster boy of Brazilian football will ply his trade at the Parc des Princes come the start of the 2017-18 season, with mega-rich Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) triggering Neymar's €222 million (S$357 million) buy-out clause and securing what has become a world-record transfer.
The Straits Times takes a closer look at the numbers behind Neymar's transfer and how it stacks up to previous record transfers and wages.
1. The total cost
In 2013 when Neymar moved from Santos to Barcelona, it was for a then reported fee of €57 million, but due to numerous factors the transfer cost the Blaugrana over €100 million. The transfer to PSG is largely similar, with the French club paying the €222 million buy-out clause, which will then rise to nearly €502 million including wages and bonuses. The transfer smashes the current record set by Paul Pogba when the Frenchman moved from Juventus to Manchester United for £89 million (S$160 million).
2. Neymar is about to get richer
The Brazilian is set on a significant payday in the French capital, with a reported £650,000-a-week (before tax) salary waiting for him in Paris. In comparison, the current world's most expensive player, Pogba, "only" earns an initial wage of £165,588 a week. The Brazilian will be trumping the Frenchman's wages by almost four times.
3. Per-day earnings
Imagine yourself in Neymar's boots - waking up in a luxury house, getting your chef to make breakfast for you, driving around in one of your dozen supercars and playing the sport you love for a living. A day in a life of Neymar will bring you £92,857 based on his reported salary.
4. The Brazilian perspective
In perspective, the average Brazilian earns an average monthly salary of 2104 Brazilian reals, which equates to a meager £511 per month. It will take the average Brazilian about 15 years to earn how much Neymar will earn in a day once he signs for PSG.
5. Trumping other names in sport
Lionel Messi signed a new contract keeping him at Barcelona till 2021, and he will pocket £500,000 a week. In basketball, Houston's James Harden also signed a record deal in the off-season, which bags him US$117,964,846 (around S$160,444,000) over four years. His base salary for the 2017-18 season will be US$28,299,399, which gives him "just" £446,068 a week, not coming close to what Neymar will be earning next season.
