If he dragged PSG to a Champion’s League title, or even as a consistent contended, that would do a lot more for his reputation than winning with Barcelona, I think. Unless he won them with a post Messi team.
He is likely to win more silverware at PSG because they will likely win the league every year. And the CL is a crap shoot. I hate Barca but I have mixed feelings about this move, especially if they try to pouch Dembele from Dortmund.
But I think it will be a great deal for Barca in the long run because they get far more than he was worth. They also have an aging squad and this will help them bring in some younger players.
Right now, Neymar winning titles with Barca is like Lebron winning championships with the Miami Heat. A move to a new team where he’d be the real superstar, and taking that team to a title, would do more for his reputation. Things would probably get stale for Neymar in Barcelona if they haven’t already. More money, more merchandise sales (new Neymar merchandise,) a new fanbase, etc. - it should be a win-win-win decision.
It IS kind of mind-blowing to think of Barça as a club that has raised a younger player to be a quality starter, and is now cashing in on that increased value they have created. 
I know nothing about transfer fees - does the player get a cut of that money? Or does that 198 million all go into Barcelona’s pocket? If so, how is it in a player’s interest for a transfer fee to be steep (or is it, not in the player’s interests at all?)
Because he gets a new and better contract. Soccer doesnt trade contracts like in the USA.
The transfer fee goes to Barcelona. In addition to his ridiculous salary, Neymar and his agent will get signing money (probably around 10 million euro each), also to be paid by Paris.
He gets much higher wages at his new job. He shouldn’t get a cut of the transfer, but his agent probably will. It’s not in his interest to have a higher fee, other than for his ego, no. But Barca wouldn’t let him go for less, I’m sure.
Winning the French league does not hold the same cachet as winning la liga, nor the multiple opportunities per year to play in el Clasico
in what way? The winners tend to be high quality teams and the same names keep popping up. looking back over the past decade of winners doesn’t throw up any great surprises.
I think they are right to take the money too but I think for Neymar it is a backward step and it is not a guarantee that the PSG setup will suit him, nor that his teammates will gel with him.
Apparently it does for him (and el Clasico doesn’t win you any trophies by itself). And the goal is likely to get to CL and try to win it as the #1 star on the team (and a few shred other signings and they make a good run - I mean who would have thought a few years prior that Chelsea would win the CL in 2012). The LeBron comparisons are right on - he got far more respect winning the NBA Championship with Cleveland than he ever did winning it with Miami. And the money always is a massive consideration.
This isn’t necessarily true. There can be a clause in the player’s contract called a “sell on fee percentage” that basically entitles the player to a cut of the transfer fees if they are sold on to another club. I think they only tend to get written into the big player’s contracts that can negotiate for such a thing, but I’m no expert. I can’t find any reports that this does or does not apply in Neymar’s case, but I think these sorts of contractual details tend to be more private. Might depend on when he last renegotiated his contract.
Oh, at the end of his career he’ll care more about money absolutely. He will be in his 30’s with his highest earning days behind him. Pretty much all players suffer from a drop in living standards a unless they can secure a coaching or a media role.
Players laughed at Beckham when he went to LA Galaxy when he was still playing well (RM player of the year 2006/2007). Aren’t laughing anymore, he has managed to earn himself continuing high level income streams well after retirement.
Neymar wants to make a similar brand. Plus his Daddy makes millions too, which means a nice little inheritance for Junior eventually.
I see. I had been confused by headlines that juxtaposed two separate things together: “Neymar sent to PSG for 198 million transfer fee, insists it isn’t about the money,” which made it sound like Neymar was going to personally pocket part of the fee.
There isn’t a serious football person out there who would equate winning the french league with PSG to winning the spanish league with Barca. I’m sure his public pronouncements are absolutely in line with your beliefs but I don’t believe they are what he really thinks.
eh? Chelsea were semi finalists at least on five occasions between 2004 and 2009 and reached the final in 2008. PSG have reached the semi-final a grand total of once in 1995. Sure they are ambitious and are willing to throw money at the problem. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes it only works temporarily. PSG may need some time to settle on a winning formula and if they are setting out with the intention of building a team around Neymar then that is a very risky and difficult proposition. It may work out for them, but it may take a few years and I’m skeptical that over the next five years Neymar will get any more meaningful success or respect with PSG than he would with Barca.
I know nothing about him or the sport so can’t say whether it works as a comparison, in a five man team I can imagine one superstar making a proportionally greater difference than in football. Messi himself, genius as he is, has been unable to raise Argentina to a regular powerhouse In football, the best players go to the best clubs in order to cement their reputations.
Neymar would not suffer any meaningful drop in living standards by staying with Barca. Do you honestly think at the end of his career he’d prefer 40 million a year with PSG and no trophies compared with 20 million a year with Barca and him running out of shelf space for cups and medals?
he went to LA when he was on a downward trajectory, he was smarty enough to know when that had happened. And yes, they laughed and still laugh at the suggestion that is was to do with football, and no, he hasn’t increased his footballing legacy one jot by doing that.
and as I said previously, if money was his aim then he has done very well, if trophies and footballing respect were his aim then he did nothing to enhance it.
The first part is already happening and would continue to do so at Barca. the second part is the real reason. I suspect those behind him want this more than he does.
I suspect that Neymar imagines himself elevating Ligue 1 to the status of the Top 4 leagues. Looking at today’s starting lineup, without Neymar, PSG will be loaded and have a pretty easy time of it in league play. Especially if they keep Veratti, who was thought be be on the way out. Perhaps Neymar’s timing is perfect and PSG is primed to win the CL. If he could win multiple European cups at PSG, and a World Cup for Brazil, he’d cement his place as a legend.
He probably just wants to get away from all the Més que un club crap.
But recall what happened in 2009, Mourinho left and Ancelotti came in, and while Ancelotti was good in the league, he really wasn’t so in CL.
5 or 11, one superstar can indeed dramatically raise the level of play for a squad. They can’t do it all, of course. However, winning a title as the main star gives you far more reputation than winning it as part of a number of stars.
In the aftermath of Neymar’s departure, large dominos seem to be about to fall. Liverpool rejects a €129 million offer for Coutinho! :eek: That is some big money getting waved around. If the purpose of FFP was to keep European dominance amongst about a dozen or so clubs, it’s working. While all these deals are eye-popping, isn’t it really just the same basket of $2-3 billion getting passed back-and-forth between these big clubs?
Setting FFP rules are all well and good but without the will to properly enforce them there is no point. I’m not entirely sure how PSG will balance their books in light of the Neymar deal but I’m sure they’ll find a creative way.
The only way to keep things under control would be a wage cap plus strong FFP rules and points sanctions for enfringements.