Rumour reel: Neymar special
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The deal that has everyone talking
Barcelona were adamant from the start that it wouldn’t happen, it couldn’t happen – but Neymar is now a PSG player, the French troublemakers getting their man in a £200m world-record transfer on Thursday evening.
The player didn’t want to leave, his dad wouldn’t let him go, PSG couldn’t afford to pay the funds in full, they were breaking rules making such a bid. Barcelona tried every trick in the book to get their way, kicking and screaming, but it made little difference when it came to the crunch. Neymar had his head turned, and there was no going back.
That deal for the 25-year-old forward blew the previous record transfer out of the water, making the £89m Manchester United paid for Paul Pogba look like loose change. The contract is signed, the funds are on their way, and it’s all over. Well, not exactly. We’re sure we’ll hear plenty more on this one before Barca dry their eyes and move on.
Here’s a couple of the more believable rumours doing the rounds on Friday morning concerning the transfer that has the football world talking…..
UEFA say they aren’t afraid to punish PSG
It’s not only Barcelona that PSG’s backers have annoyed, UEFA aren’t about to let the financial fair play rules be swept under the carpet in front of the watching world either. The governing body have some serious questions that need answering, and they want proof of how the Parisians are going to finance the £200m deal.
Sources inside UEFA headquarters told members of the press that if they don’t like the answers that are given, they aren’t afraid to make an example of PSG and punish the Ligue 1 side to the best of their abilities. This could get ugly, but we doubt it.
Barca aren’t happy with daddy Neymar either
There’s another snag in Spain, surprisingly, and it concerns La Liga, with the division’s lawyers instructed to reject PSG’s buy-out, at least until an on-going dispute over Neymar’s loyalty payments are resolved. The player’s father is said to have pocketed around £23m for his part in Neymar signing a new contract late last year.
Following Thursday’s deal, the words loyalty and Neymar don’t sit well together at the Nou Camp. That bonus payment due to senior would’ve become void if the transfer went through before July 31st, as it was confirmed just a few days after the deadline, the La Liga giants smell a rat. The club say they will withhold any bonusses due until the case is resolved.
