Neymar chooses to join Al-Hilal on 100 Million Euro over FC Barcelona

The Brazilian forward Neymar Jr. has made a move out from Europe and joined the Al-Hilal club in Saudi Arabia. He will join the club until the 30th of June 2025. The transfer fee is expected to be around the 100 Million Euro mark. All-time Brazil‘s record goal scorer joined PSG in the year 2017, following a sensational spell with Catalan side FC Barcelona, for a record 222 Million euros.

Although the Brazilian forward’s stint in the French capital started out quite well, he was unable to assist the Parisian team in winning the all-important UEFA Champions League. He led them to the final in 2019 but they lost against Bayern Munich by 1-0. Now the Saudi club has managed to rope in another player from Europe. This year they had a brilliant transfer market by roping in many named footballers from Europe.

Why Neymar chose to move to Saudi Arabia?

Football’s top players sometimes go to leagues outside of Europe. Particularly they go to the Chinese Super League or Major League Soccer. But this most recent influx of football players to Saudi Arabia stands out due the notable distinction. Over the previous five years, the Premier League has included notable players including Fabinho, Riyad Mahrez, Jordan Henderson, Edouard Mendy, Sadio Mane, and Riyad Mahrez. They all played significant roles in title fights that attracted international notice.

They are now in Saudi Arabia. The same is true for players like N’Golo Kante and Wesley Fofana, who are currently part of the Saudi league and were regulars for the French national team. Marcelo Brozovic and Ruben Neves are some of the big names that have been added this year. According to Simon Chadwick, the  professor of sport and geopolitical economy at SKEMA Business School, Saudi Arabia’s decision to establish a centre for all different kinds of football players was made with the intention of establishing their football clubs for the future.

He said, “Saudi Arabia wants to generate inward investment funds … from US private equity investment or investment from elsewhere in the world – and to make the clubs attractive they need to transform them to become more viable commercial propositions.”