Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar will reportedly leave the club for Al Hilal. (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE/AFP via Getty Images)
Neymar, a star forward for Ligue 1’s Paris Saint-Germain, agreed to a two-year contract with Al Hilal of the Saudi Pro League, according to Italian soccer insider Fabrizio Romano.
Al Hilal reportedly agreed to pay PSG less than €100 million (around $109.3 million) for Neymar. Sky Sports reporter Angelo Mangiante added that PSG will receive €90 million (around $98.3 million), while Neymar’s deal will be worth €160 million (around $174.8 million) over the length of his contract.
Neymar, 31, reportedly told his management he didn’t want to return to PSG on Aug. 7, two months after news surfaced that French star Kylian Mbappé also intended to leave.
But Mbappé now seems likely to remain with PSG after he reportedly turned down a massive bid from Al Hilal and returned to the club’s first-team training squad after “positive discussions.” He watched from the crowd during the club’s opening scoreless draw against Lorient as Neymar also sat out of the match.
Neymar spent the past six seasons with PSG paired with Mbappé where the duo won five Ligue 1 titles since 2017 for the club. Lionel Messi, who was part of PSG for its past two championship victories, also left this summer to join Inter Miami of Major League Soccer. Al Hilal pursued Messi before he chose a move to MLS instead.
Neymar scored 82 goals for PSG and assisted on 48. The Brazil international has 150 goals and 83 assists in 235 career club matches.
With Al Hilal, he will potentially join forces with Kalidou Koulibaly, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Rúben Neves. The Saudi Club most recently took a 2-1 loss to Al Nassr in the Arab Club Champions Cup Final on Saturday. That match featured two goals from former Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo.
Now, Neymar will become the next player to make an immediate splash in the Saudi Pro League.
