August 14, 2023
Another star player is joining the Saudi Pro League. Saudi soccer team Al-Hilal has agreed to a transfer deal for Brazilian forward Neymar from French champions Paris St-Germain for around 90 million euros ($98 million) plus add-ons.
The BBC reported Monday that the transfer will complete once the 31-year-old forward has done a medical check and all necessary paperwork. The Brazilian is understood to be signing a two-year deal with the Riyadh-based side.
Reuters reported that Neymar was undergoing a medical screening in Paris on Monday and is expected to arrive in Riyadh Wednesday to meet fans at King Fahd Stadium.
Al-Monitor has contacted Qatari-owned PSG for comment.
Neymar joined PSG in 2017 from Barcelona for a world record transfer of 222 million euros ($242 million). The striker missed PSG’s lead opener against Lorient on Saturday due to a virus.
Flush with oil revenues, Saudi Arabia is increasing its sports presence by hosting international games, signing high-profile players and investing in soccer clubs.
For example, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo signed to Al-Nassr from Manchester United last December, on a two-and-a-half-year contract worth more than $214.5 million, according to some estimates.
SPL champions Al-Ittihad bought Chelsea defensive midfielder N’Golo Kante in June in a deal that will see the French player earning some 100 million British pounds ($108 million) per year.
Al-Ittihad also snapped up fellow Frenchman Karim Benzema on a free transfer that same month after the 35-year-old striker terminated his one-year contract extension with Real Madrid.
Al-Hilal has also tried to sign PSG’s French forward Kylian Mbappe.
Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal lures Neymar from PSG in $98m deal
