Neymar has said an emotional farewell to his PSG teammates and staff as he prepares to finalise his £78 million move to Al-Hilal.
The French club published a video on social media of Neymar bidding goodbye at the PSG Campus on Thursday morning before joining the migration to Saudi Arabia.
Despite reports that the couple don’t get along, there was an embrace for Kylian Mbappe.
Neymar has negotiated a two-year contract with the Public Investment Fund-backed Saudi club, said to be worth £130 million per year, as he concludes his six-year spell in Paris.
After Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Sadio Mane all signed for Pro League clubs, the 31-year-old becomes the latest football great to be enticed to the Middle East.
He turned down a return to previous club Barcelona on a loan with the chance to acquire him outright the following year.
Despite reports that they have a strained relationship, Neymar and Mbappe shared a parting hug.
The Brazilian liked an Instagram post that included an L’Equipe newspaper report alleging that the French forward had told PSG that there was ‘no more room’ for both of them at the club.
At the start of last season, rumours stated Mbappe was dissatisfied with Neymar’s influence in the dressing room, particularly with fellow crucial players Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos.
Mbappe also had to reject a ‘false’ allegation that he wanted Neymar, as well as then-coach Mauricio Pochettino and 12 others, fired from the club that summer.
Mbappe has returned to PSG amid his own contract dispute, having missed the club’s season opener against Lorient last weekend, a goalless draw.
He could play against Toulouse in their second Ligue 1 match this Saturday, the same night Neymar could make his Al-Hilal debut against Al Feiha.
Neymar has a contract with the French champions until 2027, but at the age of 31, he has decided to try something different.
‘It is always painful to say goodbye to a club great, which Neymar will be forever,’ said PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelafi.
‘I will never forget the day he arrived at Paris Saint-Germain, nor what he brought to our club and our project over the past six years.
‘We have lived incredible times, and Neymar will be a part of our history for the rest of our lives,’ says the Brazilian.
‘I’d like to express my gratitude to him and his family. We wish Neymar the best of luck in his future endeavors.’
Al-Hilal also made a world record bid of £259 million for PSG starlet Kylian Mbappe, who turned down the offer despite his terrible relationship with the French club.
This summer, the Saudis spent a lot of money on players including Ruben Neves from Wolves, Kalidou Koulibaly from Chelsea, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic from Lazio, and Malcom from Zenit St Petersburg.
