Football fans who thought that Saudi Arabia’s shopping spree was anywhere near being over will (probably) be pleased to learn it’s actually far from as Brazilian midfielder Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, known mononymously as Neymar, has officially agreed on a deal with Riyadh’s Al Hilal, per Italian sports journalist Fabrizio Romano; specialist in football market transfers.
According to the pundit, the high-profile player, who still ranks as the most expensive signing in football history following his move from FC Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for a world-record-breaking fee of $222 million in 2017,has inked a deal with the Saudi team after completing his mandatory medical examinations and signing all relevant and necessary paperwork.
Opening a new chapter of his career in the Gulf, as many of his peers are also doing, including five-time Champions League winners Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, the move, allegedly worth $100 million, will reportedly see Neymar’s wages be multiplied by six as the 31-year-old will allegedly earn roughly around $100 million a year.
What’s more, Spanish sports newspaper AS revealed that the Puma ambassador will also be able to enjoy an ultra-luxurious lifestyle without having to spend a single dime from his monthly wages as his contract includes several add-ons ranging from a complimentary 25-room mansion, which comes with its own 40×10 meter pool, three saunas, in addition to a collection of high-end race cars including a Bentley Continental GT, an Aston Martin DBX, and a Lamborghini Huracán. A dedicated chauffeur will also be available around-the-clock, and the club has also agreed to cover the expenses of all hotels, restaurants, and miscellaneous service bills during his days off, in addition to providing him with his own private plane and a $500,000 cheque each time he promotes Saudi Arabia on social media. Who would have said no to such an offer?
Neymar to Al Hilal, here we go! 🚨🔵🇸🇦
After new huge bid revealed two days ago, documents are now approved by all parties involved.
Ney will travel to Saudi this week.
Two year contract.
Number 🔟.PSG set to receive bit less than €100m fee.
Medical to be completed today. pic.twitter.com/R6zR5glroe
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 14, 2023
Expected to become another magnetic nexus for the Gulf State for the next two seasons at least, Al Hilal’s next number 10 will be the latest addition to the league’s constellation of stars, which is showing no signs of dimming its brilliance anytime soon. The move comes just weeks after Neymar’s PSG teammate, Algerian-Cameroonian footballer Kylian Mbappe, turned down an eye-watering $1 billion deal to join the Saudi Pro League on a one-year contract.
Once considered the heir to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s shared throne, Neymar’s career, in hindsight, is one that can be labeled as quite disappointing given the number of expectations put behind the Brazilian native and potential shown on the pitch.
Despite netting 118 goals for PSG over the past six years, the athlete was unable to secure the much-coveted Champions League trophy that their owner, Qatar Sports Investments, had desperately been vying for, only adding to the bittersweetness of his time in the French capital as he was unable to grow into the catalyst for global success he was once envisioned to be. However, as the Saudi Pro League is growing in prominence, we can only hope that Neymar’s move to Al Hilal will provide him with a fresh opportunity to reignite his career and rediscover the spark that made him the player he was in his earlier years with Barcelona.
