Madrid: Neymar’s record-breaking $263 million transfer from Barcelona to French side PSG appeared close to completion on Wednesday, when his agent predicted he could be unveiled by the weekend.
Neymar’s teammate Lionel Messi posted a farewell message on social media to the Brazilian, whose agent Wagner Ribeiro was quoted on Spanish radio as saying PSG would pay Barcelona’s asking price and his client was en route to finalise the deal.
Messi has bid Neymar farewell and ‘good luck’ as the Brazilian edges closer to completing a world record move to PSG.
Barcelona have confirmed that Neymar has asked for permission to leave the club with PSG expected to complete a £198m transfer early next week. Messi and Neymar formed two thirds of the so-called ‘MSN’ strike force that has wreaked havoc on Europe over the past four years, scoring 364 goals as triumvirate.
“It was an enormous pleasure to have shared all these years with you friend Neymar,” Messi wrote, alongside a video montage of the pair’s highlights as teammates and friends. “I wish you luck in this new stage of your life. I love you.”
Neymar replied to the message: “Thank you brother. I will miss you!”
Barcelona said in a statement: “The player Neymar Jr, accompanied by his father and agent, has informed FC Barcelona this morning of his decision to leave the club in a meeting held at the club’s offices.
“Faced with this position, the club has informed them they refer to the buy-out clause of his existing contract which as of July 1 totals 222 million euros which will have to be deposited in its entirety. “Furthermore, in reply to the claim for the contract extension bonus, the club has once again made it clear that the amount remains deposited with a notary until the case is resolved. “The player remains under contract at FC Barcelona but with temporary permission to not take part in training sessions."
Neymar won two La Liga honours and one Champions League title as a Barcelona player.
Earlier the 25-year-old arrived at the club’s training ground to tell teammates he was moving to Paris, Catalan radio RAC1 reported. The Brazilian striker left the training area minutes later, it said, with the club confirming on Twitter that he had been given permission not to train.
In October, the player signed a new Barcelona contract until 2021 in which his buy-out clause was raised to more than double the biggest transfer fee in soccer history.
In an interview published on Wednesday, the president of the national football league, Javier Tebas, said the league would not accept payment by PSG to trigger the release clause.
It would potentially be in breach of Uefa Financial Fair Play rules, he told a Spanish sports newspaper. However, Uefa said on Wednesday that no complaint had been received, adding that it would not block any potential deal in advance.
(Agencies)
