Neymar joins Al-Hilal, six years after record-breaking move to PSG

PARIS – Neymar brought an end to a topsy-turvy spell at Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday by leaving for Saudi club Al-Hilal, six years after great fanfare greeted his arrival in the French capital.

The Brazilian was afforded a rock star’s welcome in Paris when he signed from Barcelona for a world-record fee of €222 million (S$329 million), but left just months after PSG fans protested outside his house, demanding his exit from the club.

“I have achieved a lot in Europe and enjoyed special times, but I have always wanted to be a global player and test myself with new challenges and opportunities in new places,” Neymar said in a statement from the Saudi Pro League.

“I want to write new sporting history, and the Saudi Pro League has tremendous energy and quality players at the moment,” he added. “Al-Hilal is a giant club with fantastic fans, and it is the best in Asia. This gives me a feeling that it is the right decision for me at the right time with the right club.”

PSG hoped Neymar would help deliver a coveted maiden Champions League title when he joined in 2017, but the closest he came was a 2020 final defeat by Bayern Munich.

He was plagued by several injuries during his time in Paris, with PSG seemingly happy to cut their losses by allowing him to leave.

He no longer figured in new coach Luis Enrique’s plans and was immediately linked with a move to Al-Hilal, where he will earn “€100 million a season”, according to a source close to the negotiations.

PSG will not come close to recouping the fee they paid for Neymar but will still pocket close to €100 million as well, according to the same source.

The 31-year-old lifted five Ligue 1 titles and three French Cups with PSG, scoring 118 goals in 173 appearances. But Neymar lived up to expectations only intermittently, as even his combination with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe failed to deliver Europe’s biggest prize to PSG’s Qatari owners.

French media reported that Mbappe made Neymar’s departure one of the necessary conditions for him to sign a new contract in 2022.

The France captain was also tipped with a move away from the Parc des Princes this summer but now appears set to stay for at least another campaign.

In July, Al-Hilal made a €300 million bid for Mbappe, though the striker reportedly refused to meet with officials from the team. 

Neymar’s move to Riyadh brings an end to an indifferent relationship with PSG, a club he wanted to leave to return to Barcelona in 2019 before signing a contract extension until 2027.

In his second season, Neymar insulted officials on Instagram after PSG were dumped out of the Champions League by Manchester United, before he appeared to punch a spectator after a French Cup final defeat by Rennes.

He was then disciplined after missing pre-season training in 2019 but decided to stay at the club after failing to secure a transfer back to Barca.

He suffered ankle and thigh injuries in the 2020-21 season, as PSG lost the French title race to Lille.

Last season ended in turmoil for PSG, although they won another league title, with supporters protesting outside the club’s headquarters and Neymar’s home.
AFP, REUTERS