SAUDI ARABIA’S Neymar completed the transfer from PSG to Al Hilal and entered the group of players with the highest salary in the world, similar to Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
On the evening of August 15, Al Hilal released Neymar. When his contract expires in June 2025, the Brazilian striker can consider extending it, returning to Barca or making another choice. Neymar’s two-year income is about 400 million USD, including additional payments and commercial agreements. This level is equivalent to what Cristiano Ronaldo received at Al Nassr and Karim Benzema at Al Ittihad.
Al Hilal also had to pay a transfer fee of 98 million USD to PSG, equivalent to one-third of what the French team spent to buy Neymar from Barca in 2017. To date, that is still the highest transfer in the world. .
Neymar signed a contract and debuted at Al Hilal on the evening of August 15. Photo: Reuters
Neymar is also the deal with the highest transfer fee in Saudi Arabia. Previously, Ronaldo and Benzema came to this tournament on a free basis. Al Hilal also has many other famous players who just moved from Europe this summer, such as midfielder Kalidiu Koulibaly, midfielder Ruben Neves or Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
The transfer was arranged by Neymar’s team, including his father and super agent Pini Zahavi. Zahavi began looking for a new club for his client after feeling it was time to leave PSG for reasons beyond sports. In May, hundreds of PSG fans gathered outside Neymar’s home in Paris to criticize and ask him to leave. The Brazilian striker himself is no longer in coach Luis Enrique’s plans.
According to Goal , Barca President Joan Laporta wants to reunite with Neymar. However, this striker is said to not want to work under coach Xavi. He does not believe that he will play well and that Barca can succeed under the guidance of his former teammate. While playing at Camp Nou, Neymar played alongside Xavi from 2013 to 2015.
Al Hilal is the most successful club in Saudi Arabia. They hold the records of winning the Saudi Pro League 18 times, winning the AFC Champions League four times and winning the Asian Cup C2 twice. Last season, Al Hilal ranked third in the Saudi Pro League behind Al Ittihad and Al Nassr. However, they won the King Cup and secured a spot in the AFC Champions League this season.
In the Arab Champions Cup final on August 12, Al Hilal lost 1-2 to Al Nassr. Ronaldo scored both goals for Al Nassr. Two days later, Al Hilal started the 2023-2024 Saudi Pro League with a 3-1 win over Abha, with a hat-trick from Malcom. Neymar can make his debut in the match against Al Fayha on August 19.
