Brazilian superstar Neymar was greeted by thousands of fans at Al-Hilal on Saturday as he became the latest world-famous footballer to join the big-spending Saudi Pro League.
Flamethrowers and a barrage of fireworks lit up Riyadh’s skies as the flamboyant striker appeared in Al-Hilal’s blue kit at Riyadh’s 68,000-seat King Fahd International Stadium.
The 31-year-old, who became the world’s most expensive footballer when he joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, waves and smiles to the crowd as a drone screen reads “Neymar” blue” above the venue.
VIEW| Club career of Neymar- Santos – Barcelona – PSG – Al-Hilal – The stormy journey of Brazilian football
After his debut, along with other new signings Malcolm and Yassine Bounou, the stadium lights came on and the Muslim call to prayer sounded over loudspeakers.
Neymar is excited, who, along with a host of big names in the twilight of his career, is drawn to the huge oil-rich Saudi contracts.
Neymar joined Qatar-owned Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona six years ago for a world record fee of 222 million euros ($242 million), scoring 118 goals in 173 games despite a string of injuries.
England will earn 100 million euros per season in Saudi Arabia, according to a source close to the negotiations, while PSG pocketed 100 million euros in the deal.
Neymar will sit out Al Hilal’s match against Al-Fayha late on Saturday, and is expected to make his debut at Al-Raed on Thursday.
Transfer Ja-drop
Cristiano Ronaldo set up the Saudi Pro League plans when he joined Al-Nassr in January on a two-and-a-half-year deal believed to be worth €400 million.
It opened the gates for an incredible summer transfer window as Saudi Arabia’s unannounced league attracted some of the biggest names in the sport.
Real Madrid superstar Karim Benzema signed for Al-Ittihad in June, followed by Riyadh Mahrez, Sadio Mane, N’Golo Kante, Roberto Firmino and Jordan Henderson.
Al-Hilal is the second biggest spender worldwide in the current transfer window, behind only Chelsea and four Saudi sides – Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli and Al- Ittihad – splurged closer to £560. million euros between them, according to the website Transfermarkt.com.
These four clubs are owned by the Public Investment Fund, a sovereign wealth vehicle that has attracted assets as part of an active effort to diversify the economy of the major oil exporter. best of the world.
Two global superstars have resisted Saudi advances: Lionel Messi, who has chosen Inter Miami, and his former PSG team-mate Kylian Mbappe, who is said to have refused to meet officials by Al-Hilal.
Off the pitch, Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard joins Al-Ettifaq as manager, former Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo becomes Saudi Arabia league’s director of football and Roma manager Jose Mourinho joins the board of directors of Saudi Arabia’s Mahd Sports Academy.
The massive shopping spree has understandably caught the attention of other leagues, with Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp expressing concern that the Saudi transfer market will close on the 20th. September – three weeks after Europe.
Al-Hilal is coached by Portugal’s Jorge Jesus, who is in his second spell at the club, while the team has five internationals recently attracted from Europe – Ruben Neves, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic , Kalidou Koulibaly, Malcom and Bounou.
Al-Hilal, nicknamed “The Boss”, is Saudi Arabia’s most successful football team and has won a record four Asian Championships.
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