Neymar’s 222m Euro move form Barcelona to PSG stunned the world in the summer of 2017, and Marca today have reported on the eye watering figures involved in the deal.
The Brazilian’s massive release clause was met, and then he was handed a monster contract. Since then, he’s had two seasons ended by injury, and now a third finished – for now – by coronavirus.
Their laying out of just how much the deal has cost P
“Considering he cost them 222 million euros to sign from Barcelona and that they pay him 37 million euros per season, the accounts aren’t reflecting a worthwhile investment,” Marca write.
“Each appearance has set them back about 1,400,000 euros, meaning he’s been paid 111 million euros for his 80 games.”
That’s a quite sensational amount of money to pay for a player who hasn’t managed to stay fit for an entire season in Paris yet. At the time it was a vast sum, but it still looked like a good deal to some degree for PSG, who took one of the world’s most coveted players from under the noses of their Champions League rivals.
But despite his excellent performances on the pitch, his injuries have made his signing look more and more
Barcelona have been so much worse off without him too, unable to consistently balance Leo Messi’s brilliance and looking far less creative and unpredictable in attack.
If he’d stayed, it feels like the Catalans could have maintained their position among the best sides in Europe, and might have another European trophy in their locker.
Moves of that magnitude are hard to pull off, and it’s now looking like one that won’t end up working out for either club, or the player.
