Neymar leaves PSG - Where did it go wrong for the world's most expensive player?

In Neymar, the Saudi Pro League has introduced another superstar. Paris Saint-Germain have found an agreement to sell the Brazilian to Al-Hilal SCF. Neymar is the third most expensive over-30 transfer behind Cristiano Ronaldo (38) and Harry Kane (30). L’Équipe reported that the transfer fee will be an initial €80 million plus add-ons that could see the deal grow to €100m. Neymar is set to receive €80m a season. The move to Saudi Arabia became necessary for Neymar after several European clubs, including Man City, Chelsea, Bayern, and Real Madrid, turned down the opportunity to sign the Brazilian. According to The Independent, only Barca were interested but only on an initial loan with an option to buy. 

Neymar became the most expensive player in history when PSG signed the Brazilian for €222m from Barcelona in 2017. Originally signed by Barca from Santos, Neymar has generated €390m in transfer fees throughout his career. After scoring 118 goals and 77 assists in 173 games for PSG, the chapter in France is now closed. PSG paid €2.2m per game for Neymar. But despite the massive investment, the Qatari-owned club never won the Champions League with Neymar.

"There is certainly a lot of frustration from this transfer for French football fans; I would say, considering his still unmatched transfer fee and the gigantic expectations around him," Transfermarkt's Area Manager for France Ronan Caroff said. "There is no denying his strong individual stats for PSG: 118 goals and 77 assists in 173 games is strong and on a similar level as his time in Barcelona (105G, 76A in 186 games). But PSG didn't just want great individual stats when signing Neymar; they aimed for European greatness and winning the Champions League.” 

Neymar to Al-Hilal: Why did it not work out at PSG?

Indeed, with Lionel Messi and Neymar leaving for Saudi Arabia, this now feels like the end of an era at PSG. It was an era in which the club fell short of massive expectations despite significant investments in the squad. After all, PSG did not just sign Neymar for €222m but also brought in Kylian Mbappé for €180m from Monaco in 2018 (the Frenchman was originally signed on loan in 2017). 

Neymar, together with Mbappé, was supposed to elevate PSG to one of Europe’s super teams, level with the likes of Manchester City, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona. "But the status of the team didn't progress much during his time in Paris,” Caroff said. “They reached the final of the Champions League in the unique conditions of the 2020 Lisbon bubble and then the semi-finals in 2021. Coincidence or not: these were the only two seasons where Neymar managed to play regularly past spring and wasn't held back by his injuries, which were sadly a recurring point in Neymar's six years in Paris."

Injuries were certainly a major issue for Neymar throughout his time in Europe. "His ankle operation in February was meant to put him back on track for good, but now it seems PSG won't get to enjoy that,” Caroff said. “For sure, he will be remembered as one of the best players PSG has ever seen so far, but the expectations that came with his transfer six years ago fell short." You could even expand on this and suggest that Neymar’s career, in general, fell short of the massive expectations placed on him. When he first emerged at Santos, there was hope that Neymar could become the next Pelé. But at Barca, his career was overshadowed by Messi, and at an international level, disappointing World Cup performances meant that Neymar never quite seemed to reach his full potential. 

Neymar set to leave PSG: Was Cristiano Ronaldo right?

But while he has not fulfilled his potential on the pitch, at least Neymar will soon break the record for the most expensive player in the history of the game. Neymar surpasses Romelu Lukaku as the player with the highest cumulative transfer fee. That record would remain even if Lukaku leaves Chelsea for around €40m. 

Al-Hilal are coached by Jorge Jesus, and the squad includes newly signed stars Sergej Milinković-Savić, Rúben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Brazilian compatriot Malcom. Overall, the squad value of the Saudi Cup winners will increase to €221m, which is more than Fenerbahce (€218m), Olympique Lyon (€216m), VfL Wolfsburg (€214m) and Eredivisie champions Feyenoord Rotterdam (€206m). “One year from now, the Saudi league will be ahead of Turkey and the Netherlands,” Cristiano Ronaldo said in July. His transfer to Al-Nassr was the starting gun for the SPL’s transfer offensive, which has increased the market value of the league to around €900m. The Eredivisie (€959m) and the Süper Lig (€1.07bn) are within reach of what seems endless resources by the Saudi club owners. 

To achieve this goal, Saudi Pro League clubs did not just pay significant transfer fees but also extraordinary wages that are significantly above what European clubs are willing to pay (overview of the most valuable Saudi Pro League players). Salary budgets that are above the squad values displayed on this page are unique to Saudi Arabia. PSG, in the meantime, are happy about what has been an unexpected financial windfall. The Neymar deal is the most expensive outgoing transfer in PSG’s history—an unexpected turn of events considering that it was the Qatari-owned club that had originally shaken the foundation of what was previously considered acceptable salaries for top stars.