Brazil international, Neymar has been “in negotiations” to become the latest football superstar to decamp for Saudi Arabia, leaving reigning League Un champions, Paris Saint-Germain.
The news about Neymar comes just as the French club brings back in from the cold another of its superstars, 24-year-old France international, Kylian Mbappe.
AFP reports that 31-year-old Neymar “no longer figures in the (PSG) club or manager’s plans” with the former Barcelona man immediately linked to Al-Hilal in the Saudi Professional League (SPL).
Another source in the Gulf kingdom said “direct negotiations” between Neymar’s agents and the Public Investment Fund (PIF) were ongoing.
“If we reach an agreement with him in the coming hours, we would start negotiating with PSG immediately,” the source quoted a PIF official as saying.
“Neymar is billed to play for Al-Hilal if a deal is sealed,” said the source.
Neymar joined PSG for a record 220 million euros ($241m) from Barcelona in 2017.
Last month, Al-Hilal made a 300-million-euro bid for Mbappe, but the striker reportedly refused to meet with officials from the team.
If Neymar does end up moving to Saudi Arabia, he will join a growing list of top players lured to the oil-rich kingdom since Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Al-Nassr in January.
Al-Hilal have traditionally been one of Saudi Arabia’s top clubs and have been crowned Asian Champions League winners on four occasions.
Neymar’s anticipated departure from PSG would follow that of Lionel Messi who now plays for US-based Inter Miami, a club owned by Manchester United legend and former England international, David Beckham.
