Just two years ago, PSG shook the soccer realm by acquiring Neymar by way of a $263 million transfer.
Now with plenty of talent to go around in Paris and Barcelona missing its favorite Brazilian forward, Barça has to look into sending the same money back to France.
PSG hopefully kept the receipt for Neymar, but Barça may have some return policies.
With contracts ending on June 30, there's a slew of footballers who'll be free to sign with the club of their choosing in a few days. This is a list of who I believe to be the most valuable free agents on the market. The players range from established veterans to promising youngsters, and while they vary in terms of talent and experience, I feel that evey one of them is capable of making an important contribution to the club they eventually sign for.
Here are my top 10 free agents heading into July.
According to SPORT, a Spanish daily based in Barcelona, Neymar has agreed on personal terms to return to the Camp Nou on a five-year deal that includes a massive pay cut to his current salary. The 27-year-old currently earns $41 million per year with PSG, but he’s willing to rejoin Barça for around $27 million.
Fresh off scoring his 100th career goal during France’s 4-0 UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying victory over Andorra, 20-year-old French sensation Kylian Mbappé boarded a plane for the United States, where he’s since been spotted at Nike’s World Headquarters, chilling with LeBron James, at game six of the NBA Finals and throwing out the first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers game.
We’ll probably have to wait another couple decades to see Mbappé in MLS, but it’s clear that he enjoys his time spent stateside. Of course, it’s hard not to when the red carpet is rolled out wherever you go.
When Brazil opens play at the 2019 Copa América in eight days time, it’ll do so without the influential Neymar. During last night’s friendly against Qatar, the 27-year-old was on the receiving end of a robust but fair challenge from Assim Madibo, ultimately resulting in a ligament rupture in his right ankle.
Neymar has once again shown that he has just as much flair off the pitch as he does on it.
The PSG striker arrived in style to the Brazilian national team training session this week in a custom Mercedes-Benz Airbus H-145 helicopter worth over $14 million.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappé was awarded the National Union Of Professional Footballers’ Ligue 1 Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards at an event on Sunday night.
His PSG strike partner Neymar was nowhere to be found, despite being in Paris.
But the Brazilian had a really good reason to miss out on the award ceremony, and it had nothing to do with the Game of Thrones finale.