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Thursday September 19, 2024

Deal done: Neymar leaves Paris Saint-Germain for Saudi Al Hilal

Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal have agreed a €90 million ($98.6m) deal with Paris Saint-Germain for Neymar

By Web Desk
August 14, 2023
Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar prepares to take a corner during a friendly football match against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, at the Asiad Main Stadium in Busan on August 3, 2023.—AFP
Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar prepares to take a corner during a friendly football match against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, at the Asiad Main Stadium in Busan on August 3, 2023.—AFP

Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal has signed Brazilian striker Neymar on a two-year deal, subject to his medical fitness, the BBC reported Monday.

The striker has missed the PSG Ligue 1 opener against Lorient due to a viral infection. He joined PSG in 2017 from Spanish club Barcelona for a record transfer fee of 222 million euros ($243 million).

Sources told ESPN that the Saudi Pro League side has agreed to pay a staggering €90 million for the Brazilian player.

On Sunday, ESPN reported that Neymar was close to coming to an agreement with the Saudi club as they negotiated with PSG for him. He will now join Al Hilal on a two-year contract with the option of a third.

Neymar will reunite with his former teammates Kalidou Koulibaly, Rubem Neves and Sergej Milinkovik-Savic who moved to Al Hilal earlier this year.

Al Hilal, Al Ahli, Al Ittihad and Al Nasr are the four clubs that were taken under the ownership of the KSA Public Investment Fund (PIF) in Junes as part of the country's 'Sports Clubs Investment and Privatization Project."

The four clubs have offered lucrative contracts to some of the sport's biggest stars in this year's transfer window.

Paris Saint-Germain made Neymar the most expensive footballer of all time in 2017 -- a record he still holds -- when they dramatically signed him from Barcelona in a €222m deal.

Neymar's move away from Paris Saint-Germain brings an end to a tumultuous six years in the French capital where he often struggled with injuries and off-field issues.

Neymar has won five Ligue 1 titles and 13 domestic honours in total with Paris Saint-Germain, as well as finishing as runner-up in the 2020 Champions League final.