PSG have announced that Brazilian winger Neymar has extended his contract at the French club until 2025. The contract is reportedly worth close to 30 million Euros a season along with a huge bonus should he win the Champions League at the club.
SORRY BARCELONA
Neymar has been linked with former club Barcelona multiple times over the past few seasons but a move has not materialised. The 29 year old moved to Paris in 2017 for a world record transfer fee of 220 million Euros but the transfer has been somewhat of a disappointment given the huge finances involved. Barcelona presumably do not have the financial strength to pursue bringing Neymar back.
Real Madrid have also been linked with the winger but they seem to be moving for younger blood in his teammate Kylian Mbappe or Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland.
MISSION CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
PSG have failed to win the Champions League that they covet so desperately, coming closest last year when they lost to Bayern Munich in the final. This year they crashed out to Manchester City in the semifinals, losing 4-1 comprehensively on aggregate.
However, it seems that the Brazilian star has made it a personal mission to win the club the trophy that they want most having put his long-term future beyond doubt. PSG expectedly will build their squad around him should Mbappe leave in the summer.
Neymar: “It’s a great pleasure to extend the adventure at PSG as I'm very happy in Paris. It is a real pride to be part of this team. Here I grew up as a person, as a human being and as a player. So I'm very happy to extend and I hope to win a lot more trophies here”. 🇧🇷🚨 #PSG pic.twitter.com/WFCdbP3zPg
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 8, 2021
Neymar is already a modern-day great but perhaps lacks the one big individual tournament performance to elevate him to the status of a legend. His decision to build a legacy is admirable but he has failed to succeed so far amidst injury issues and underwhelming performances. Will the PSG-Neymar marriage bring what both parties want to them? Only time will tell.