GTFO OT: Neymar agrees to 222M euro transfer fee???

Submitted by superstringer on

Kurt/Kirk Cousins can eat his heart out.  PSG (Paris's top soccer team, historically the top soccer team in France) has reportedly offered euro 222M (note:  I don't know how to type the funny euro E) to Barcelona for Neymar.  WOW.

Want a comparison?  MLS's TOTAL salaries for this year is US$200M -- so, that's one player being bought for the entire MLS league (24 or so teams).  Of course, if Neymar was alone on the pitch against the entire MLS league...he'd probably win.  Or at least draw.  So, that's fair.

http://www.espnfc.com/blog/transfer-talk/79/post/3159491/psg-ready-to-s…

This is rumored b/c it's not finalized.  But still...  And while that is not cash to Neymar, I believe his salary is supposed to reflect the transfer amount, so it would be the richest soccer contract in history.

Previous top transfer fee was, IIRC, 140M euros for Gareth Bale (Real Madrid paid Tottenham).

uncle leo

July 19th, 2017 at 8:54 AM ^

The flailing around that some teams exibit is crap. But, I do think the refs are pretty wise to what is fake and what isn't. 

But, if you don't think every sport does some form of acting/selling, you have your head in the sand. 

seegoblu

July 18th, 2017 at 2:37 PM ^

That is the amount specified in the release clause (the amount of money Neymar would have to pay to get out of his contract with Barca....albeit PSG's money being used...there is a potential tax consequence for Neymar).

PSG offering to meet that amount (i.e., fund Neymar's buyout) does not mean that he is PSG's. There is still the negotiation of how that amount would be paid (Barca likely will insist on a lump sum, whereas PSG would likely want to pay as you go over time equal to the length of Neymar's contract with PSG...5 years or so) and whether any make-weight player swaps could reduce the amount owed, as well as how PSG could afford this expenditure under Financial Fair Play rules.

While almost any club in the world would want Neymar...it is more likely a direct response to Barca's flirtation with PSG's best player earlier this month (Verratti) who indicated he wanted a move to Barca from PSG. PSG has been known to take vindictive actions like this in the past.

So, while everyone who can afford Neymar would want him, this is more likely a threat by PSG to Barca to leave Verratti alone.

TrueBlue2003

July 18th, 2017 at 6:50 PM ^

Did Barca's "acquisition" of Neymar (whether through development, transfer, whatever) give them essentially lifetime rights such that any other team wanting him would have to pay a transfer fee to Barca?

I kind of like that idea as it incentivzes and greatly rewards early player identification and development. Plus, theoretically allows anyone to be aquired at any time (without a trade) as long as the aquiring club were willing to pay the transfer fee.

swan flu

July 18th, 2017 at 2:42 PM ^

If true I'd be fine with it, use that money to buy midfielders and Ousman Dembele.

But I doubt it happens. Just psg fucking with Barca for sniffing around veratti imo

ken725

July 18th, 2017 at 6:28 PM ^

Nooo. I really like Ousmane on Dortmund. I guess it wouldn't be too bad seeing him on Barca. What is the deal with the Paulinho transfer?

What other MF options were you thinking? If Barca wants to raid Dortmund for other players I think Weigl is a good young player.

CriticalFan

July 18th, 2017 at 3:45 PM ^

"According to his agent, Jorge Mendes, [Cristiano] Ronaldo’s release clause with Real Madrid is literally €1 billion."
 
 
That is probably the record for highest fee in a contract, but not yet paid.
 

Dylan

July 18th, 2017 at 3:48 PM ^

Cool - I can like Neymar again.  Need someone to entertain me outside of Spain when I'm not watching Madrid go back to back to back.

PopeLando

July 18th, 2017 at 5:57 PM ^

Cue snark:

All of a sudden, MLB doesn't seem like too much of a broken market, right???

How much of that €220m is going to bribes and graft???

turtleboy

July 18th, 2017 at 6:19 PM ^

This would be pretty unheard of. Not the sum, but any team poaching top star talent away from one of the two Spanish giants. They've pretty much bought the best talent in the world for the last 20+ years, with other teams only competing for whoever Madrid and Barca don't have room for. I have to think back to the late 80s AC Milan to a time when those two clubs didn't have a complete stranglehold on the #1 players in the world as a business policy.