Neymar’s fairytale return to Barcelona looks unlikely to happen after Paris Saint-Germain agreed a deal with Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal on Monday.
PARIS St Germain have agreed a deal with Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal for the sale of Brazilian forward Neymar with the deal subject to the player completing his medical, the BBC reported on Monday.
The BBC reported the transfer fee to be about €90 million plus add-ons.
Neymar, who joined PSG in 2017 from Spanish club Barcelona for a world record transfer fee of €222 million, missed PSG’s Ligue 1 opener against Lorient on Saturday due to a viral infection.
Neymar was contracted to stay in the French capital until 2025 and has 118 goals in 173 appearances, capturing numerous trophies including five Ligue 1 titles.
Al Hilal had tried to sign the Brazilian’s PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe. They were also reportedly interested in Argentine Lionel Messi who opted to join Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami.
The most successful club in Saudi Arabia and Asia, Al Hilal have won 66 trophies and hold the record for league and Asian Champions League titles, with 18 and four.
Strengthening the squad is a priority for the Riyadh-based club, as the Saudi Public Investment Fund announced in June an investment and privatisation project for sports clubs involving league champions Al Ittihad, Al Ahli, Al Nassr and Al Hilal.
– REUTERS
