Neymar, fame, flair and frustration.
On a scale of one to Antony, just how bad a signing was £77m Neymar from Paris St-Germain to Al-Hilal? The Brazilian now leaves after managing one goal and three assists in seven appearances over two seasons. It is a shocking return on the transfer fee and staggering wages, reportedly north of £1m a week.
Those Manchester United fans who watched Neymar’s fellow-Brazilian, Antony, score once in 14 games this season, and that was a penalty in the Carabao Cup against Barnsley, would argue for their £82m winger as the transfer with least happy returns. One of the most one-footed players in United’s history has now been ushered quietly off on loan to Real Betis.
In fairness to Neymar, his time at Al-Hilal was blighted by an ACL shortly after he arrived which ended his season and then a bad hamstring injury. I would argue that his six years at PS-G, following his world-record £200m move from Barcelona, proved more of a waste.
Neymar was in Paris from 25 to 31. These should have been his golden years, the time when he succeeded Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the best player in the world. He barely registered in Ballon d’Or voting, managing 12th in 2018 and 16thin 2021. (His third place in 2017 was heavily influenced by his first half of the year with Barcelona).