August 15 – Lionel Messi might have opted for the MLS but yet another superstar looks set to join the gravy train to Saudi Arabia with Neymar reported to be quitting Paris Saint-Germain to move to Al-Hilal.
French press reports said a fee of €90 million had been agreed subject to a medical.
The 31-year-old Brazilian will apparently receive a total of €160 million over two seasons though PSG have not confirmed this.
Neymar missed PSG’s season-opening 0-0 draw with Lorient on Saturday after training alone, with the club saying it was because he was recovering from a viral infection. He joined PSG from Barcelona for a world-record fee of €222 million six years ago.
Agency reports said Neymar was expected to arrive in Riyadh on Wednesday to be presented to fans and that he would wear the number 10 shirt.
Neymar’s time in France has been blighted by injury and controversy. He had apparently hoped to return to Barcelona on a loan agreement but that proved impossible.
Al Hilal had previously tried to sign Kylian Mbappe, who turned down a move and has been reinstated into the PSG first team following a bitter impasse with the ownership.
Al Hilal’s squad already boasts four international players recently lured from Europe – Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Kalidou Koulibaly and Neymar’s Brazilian compatriot Malcom.
The most successful club in Saudi Arabia and Asia, the club have won 66 trophies and hold the record for league and Asian Champions League titles. Last season Al-Hilal lost in the final of the Club World Cup to Real Madrid.
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