PSG winger Neymar joins Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal on two-year deal, club confirm

Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) striker Neymar has agreed on a two-year deal with Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, the club said in a statement. French newspaper L’Equipe, earlier reported about this transfer being done, and PSG’s official statement confirmed the news.

Though the transfer amount is not disclosed, the newspaper stated it is worth 90 million Euros plus add-ons.

After spending six seasons with the French champions following a record-breaking transfer (222 million euros ($243 million) in 2017 from Barcelona, which is believed to open flood gates for money to flow into the transfer market, Neymar joined Al Hilal on Tuesday, and in a video posted on social media, he said,

“I am here in Saudi Arabia, I am Hilali.”

The 31-year-old winger missed PSG’s league opener against Lorient on Saturday due to a viral infection and was on the bench alongside star striker Kylian Mbappe and midfielder Marco Verratti.

At PSG, Neymar scored 118 goals in 173 appearances, winning several trophies, including five Ligue 1 titles but failed to put his hands on the coveted Champions League, which he last won with FC Barcelona in 2015.

“It is always difficult to say goodbye to an amazing player like Neymar, one of the best players in the world,” said PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi in a statement from the French champions.

“I will never forget the day he arrived at Paris Saint-Germain and what he has contributed to our club and our project over the last six years. We had a great moment, and Neymar will always be a big part of our history,” he added.

Saudi team after PSG trio

Although Neymar’s transfer from PSG to Al Hilal is now sealed, the Saudi Pro League tried luring the world cup winners with France and Argentina, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, respectively, to join their club this summer.

Though Messi decided against heading to Saudi, where his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo now plies his trade (for Al Nassr), and instead joined Inter Miami in the Major League Soccer (MLS), Nasser Al-Khelaifi and PSG agreed to a multi-million deal for Mbappe (worth around 330 million Euros), only for Mbappe to give this a thumbs down and stay at PSG for this season.

Much like Mbappe, Neymar was also contracted till 2025 and was close to joining his former club FC Barcelona on a loan deal, which didn’t materialise.