{"id":342111,"date":"2017-08-04T17:39:37","date_gmt":"2017-08-04T17:39:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=342111"},"modified":"2017-08-04T17:39:37","modified_gmt":"2017-08-04T17:39:37","slug":"neymar-its-sad-people-think-paris-st-germain-move-was-motivated-by-money","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/08\/neymar-its-sad-people-think-paris-st-germain-move-was-motivated-by-money\/","title":{"rendered":"Neymar: It’s sad people think Paris St-Germain move was motivated by money"},"content":{"rendered":"
Brazil forward\u00a0Neymar\u00a0says it is “sad” that people think his world record move from Barcelona to Paris St-Germain was motivated by money.<\/p>\n
The 25-year-old\u00a0joined the French club\u00a0for a fee of 222m euros (\u00a3200m) and he will earn 45m euros (\u00a340.7m) a year.<\/p>\n
Neymar, who could play in PSG’s first league match of the season on Saturday, said his price was “not a burden”.<\/p>\n
PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi added that\u00a0Neymar\u00a0could have earned more money at another club.<\/p>\n
The Ligue 1 club’s total outlay on the Brazilian is expected to be \u00a3400m.<\/p>\n
Asked at his official unveiling at the Parc des Princes if he was motivated by money,\u00a0Neymar\u00a0replied: “What I say to these people is they don’t know anything about my personal life. I was never motivated by money.<\/p>\n
“If I was following the money, I would be somewhere else, with other clubs in other countries. I’m really sad that people still think that way and I’m glad that PSG believe in me.”<\/p>\n
Al-Khelaifi added: “Neymar\u00a0came here for motivation, a project that he believed in. He can get much more money than we give him, that’s for sure.”<\/p>\n
The new Figo?<\/strong><\/p>\n Former Portugal winger Luis Figo left Barcelona for Real Madrid in 2000, for a then world record fee of \u00a337.4m, after Madrid paid his buyout clause. The move was greeted with anger by Barcelona fans.<\/p>\n When asked how he felt about being compared to Figo,\u00a0Neymar\u00a0said: “I have done nothing bad. I am sad about the fact that the fans think that.<\/p>\n “You are not obligated to remain at a club, if you wish to leave then the player has that right.”<\/p>\n Al-Khelaifi added: “He left as a gentleman. It’s not fair to compare him with other players. He was trying to delay the process out of respect for Barcelona’s players and fans.<\/p>\n “I’m shocked by the question.”<\/p>\n ‘Don’t worry about FFP’<\/strong><\/p>\n Neymar’s move was protracted as La Liga officials rejected the payment of his buyout clause from his lawyers. They instead had to deposit the money at Barcelona’s club office.<\/p>\n The La Liga stance is that PSG are violating Uefa’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules, and Barcelona previously said they would report PSG to European football’s governing body Uefa for a FFP breach.<\/p>\n Al-Khelaifi defended the deal, saying: “We will be very transparent with Financial Fair Play. I have a strong team with me. If you are thinking about it, go have a coffee and don’t worry about it.<\/p>\n “There is only one decision that matters and that is with Uefa. We are working very transparently with Uefa.<\/p>\n “We don’t care about speculation in the media. We care that what we are doing is transparent and completely legal.”<\/p>\n Al-Khelaifi said\u00a0Neymar\u00a0has had an instant financial impact, adding: “Before\u00a0Neymar\u00a0the value of the club was $1bn, now it is $1.5bn.”<\/p>\n Defending the cost of the transfer, he said: “Today is expensive but in two or three years? I do not think it is expensive, we will definitely make more money. This is the power of PSG. It is an amazing transfer.”<\/p>\n Neymar, who denied he left Barcelona to step out of Lionel Messi’s shadow, added: “It is not a burden. I am 69kg and do not have a burden on my back.”<\/p>\n Paris clamour for\u00a0Neymar<\/strong><\/p>\n