August 17, (THEWILL) – Barcelona have been forced to admit defeat in their pursuit of Neymar this summer, with sporting director, Deco, revealing it was “impossible” for the club to sign the Brazilian due to their ongoing financial issues.
Neymar officially completed a shock move to Saudi Arabian side, Al Hilal, over the weekend in a deal worth €90m. Despite being offered to Barcelona by Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the transfer window, manager Xavi dismissed any possibility of a transfer, citing financial restrictions. Deco confirmed the club were simply unable to afford a deal for Neymar regardless of his desire to return to Camp Nou.
“Everyone knows that at this moment, unfortunately, with our financial situation, it was impossible to make such a signing,” Deco explained. “We needed an understanding with PSG or a settlement with the Saudi Arabians, something that didn’t happen.”
Neymar enjoyed four successful seasons with Barcelona between 2013 and 2017, scoring 105 goals before making a world record €222m move to PSG. His return was seen as an exciting proposition, but ultimately the club’s ongoing financial issues made any deal impossible.
Al Hilal have splashed out €90m to secure Neymar’s signature, also handing the 31-year-old a lucrative £2.5m-per-week contract over two years. The deal sees the Brazilian link up with former Ballon d’Or winner, Cristiano Ronaldo and other stars that have trooped to the Saudi Pro League this summer.
While disappointing for Barcelona, the finalisation of the transfer brings to an end a summer-long saga surrounding Neymar’s future. The Spanish giants must now focus on rebuilding with the resources available to Xavi.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
