- 14 hours ago
What a waste of money! Barcelona plan BOMBSHELL signing of star who cost €300m
Robin Bairner
- 3 Oct 2024 08:46 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona are plotting to bring Neymar back to the club in a deal that the Catalan media are branding as a ‘bombshell’ deal to mark the Blaugrana’s move back to an all-new Camp Nou - despite Al-Hilal spending €300 million on the Brazilian for no tangible return.
Neymar left Barca in controversial circumstances in 2017 as he joined PSG in a world-record €222m transfer.
It was a decision that caused a legal skirmish between the parties that ended in 2021, and now Barcelona are ready to prove the hatchet has been buried for good by launching a sensational bid to re-sign the Brazil international, according to Sport.
Neymar will be available to talk to clubs from January as he is out of contract in June 2025 at Al-Hilal.
READ MORE: Al-Hilal ‘angry’ with Neymar over Instagram images
Current ETV
Neymar
F (L), M, AMC
Al-Hilal
Neymar
F (L), M, AMC
Al-Hilal
ETV Range
€11.7M - €19.5M
Another Barcelona transfer error?
The wisdom of such a deal, though, is questionable.
Since leaving Barcelona, he has been regularly struck down by serious injury problems, while his wages are liable to be astronomical.
While the Catalan side are closing in on a lucrative deal with Nike, the club remains in financial difficulties and any lavish signings will need to be made carefully.
If they approach Neymar in the type of timeframe that Sport are discussing, i.e. the January transfer window, it is likely that he will not have played a competitive game of football in well over a year.
He has been laid up with an ACL injury that has taken longer than expected to recover, with Al-Hilal, who spent €90m to sign him from PSG in 2022, frustrated at the progress of the issue and also annoyed at the player’s attitude with regards his recovery.
By the time Neymar’s Al-Hilal deal has expired next summer, it is estimated that he will have cost the Saudi Pro League side in the region of €300m in wages, with the Brazilian unlikely to have played more than a handful of games in return.
