Neymar to PSG

[Jockney]

Wealthy nations with appalling human rights records owning football clubs is a fairly recent development though, and a pretty lamentable one imo.

No one had any serious ethical concerns about Abramovich buying Chelsea, despite his closeness to Putin, until it infringed on a World Cup bid. It seems the problem isn't that these people exist, or even that they are in the UK, rather that they bring their baggage with them and their baggage is often our baggage too.

It is encouraging that some people are starting to come around to the idea that the money in the game is out of control, but then it has been for decades and it only ever seems to be a problem when it challenges the hegemony of the big European clubs. No doubt PSG hit financial troubles, and RM and MU will be spending that sort of dollar not long after with no serious discussions taking place.

 

[TheMinsterman]

*need to point out that the reports on the Gulf are greatly flawed and exaggerated intensifies*

This is what happens when I spend all day head deep in books about it...

I do get to read about pirates at least.

 

[Stevencc]

Neymar's world record fee from Barcelona to PSG represents a 122% increase on the previous transfer record. This is the biggest jump since 1903, when Ben Green moved from Barnsley to Small Heath for just £500, beating the previous record of £100.

 

[TheMinsterman]

Neymar's world record fee from Barcelona to PSG represents a 122% increase on the previous transfer record. This is the biggest jump since 1903, when Ben Green moved from Barnsley to Small Heath for just £500, beating the previous record of £100.

Small Heath are ruining football, it's just not fair anymore.

 

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

No one had any serious ethical concerns about Abramovich buying Chelsea, despite his closeness to Putin, until it infringed on a World Cup bid. It seems the problem isn't that these people exist, or even that they are in the UK, rather that they bring their baggage with them and their baggage is often our baggage too.

That's not quite my recollection. From what I remember there was a huge amount of criticism aimed at Chelsea from opposition fans and media figures in the wake of the takeover. The club were basically regarded as an enemy of football (the same critics failed to raise much by way of objection to United's largess) and Abramovich as something of a crook (not a claim that was ever really properly substantiated, I don't think).

I always thought the perceived closeness to Putin was more of a survival tactic than anything else, in that it was dangerous for an oligarch not to maintain a good relationship.

It is encouraging that some people are starting to come around to the idea that the money in the game is out of control, but then it has been for decades and it only ever seems to be a problem when it challenges the hegemony of the big European clubs. No doubt PSG hit financial troubles, and RM and MU will be spending that sort of dollar not long after with no serious discussions taking place.

Oh yes, I wouldn't remotely disagree with this. I'm certainly not trying to posit this as anything other than the inevitable consequence of where the game's been heading for sometime. Domestically, you can trace the problems back to the formation of the Premier League and Sky's involvement. On a European level you can look at the formation of the Champions League and the increasing influence of the big players from Europe's most powerful nations. I think at both a domestic and continental level there have been attempts to create (and perhaps, if you look at the present day PL and CL, this has already come to fruition) what basically amounts to a cartel. I have little to no sympathy with the big clubs who hoard all the wealth. It's long been an uneven playing field and the hostility displayed towards anyone who dares challenge the existing hegemony is almost laughable.

Having said that, I think people are probably entitled to be a little taken aback by this deal. We know that the big clubs have astronomic wealth, but I'm not sure the market has ever been quite so crazy (Zinedine Zidane's transfer to Madrid in 2001 still ranks as one of the 10 most expensive deals so, prior to this summer, I'm not sure football's been that out of kilter with its own warped reality). In terms of pure numbers it really is unprecedented. We're talking a deal (both in terms of transfer fee and wages) that is three or four times greater than other vastly wealthy super clubs have ever paid out. Even by football's standards that's somewhat obscene.

 

[PSGsupporterman]

Not sure why he wants to leave.

in my opinion .it's something about who to be the leader of the team .

 

[spireite]

I think I agree with Mourinho on this. I don't think Neymar is too expensive at that fee, he's so marketable he will probably make them that back in 2 years. The problem with this deal is that suddenly everyone else wants more money for their so-so players. A £30m player suddenly becomes worth £60m because of this deal.

 

[SALTIRE]

I'm not sure on that, Neymar is a world star whose very bankable, is good looking, and has potential to be the best player in the world. I don't think it'll affect the market moreso than the already inflated prices we are seeing this summer.

 

[JimJams]

I think only Barcas deals will be affected initially. Whoever they go after now will have an artificially high price quoted for them and it'll be a domino effect from there. If Liverpool sell Coutinho for 100 mill they'll probably have to pay more for his replacement then than they will cuurently.
It's not like if Bayern and Chelsea were looking to do a 40mill Renato Sanches deal that now Bayern would say "Oh no, hold on, Neymar cost 200 mill, we want 80 for Sanches now".

 

[Luc@]

I still rember when 94 m for Cristiano Ronaldo seemed too much, football went totally crazy.

 

[Stevencc]

I still rember when 94 m for Cristiano Ronaldo seemed too much, football went totally crazy.

What did you think when a 28-year-old Higuain moved to Juve for £75m?

 

[mistermagic]

I reckon that's a bit steep for someone who goes missing on the big stage.

But that's me.

 

[JimJams]

Don't forget though that Napoli came 2nd the year they bought him so the price wasn't just to get a player it was also a price to significantly weaken your nearest rival.

 

[AFCB_Mark]

The Sun and Express (yeah I know) but also other media are reporting lines to the effect that Mbappe either wants or "chooses PSG over Real Madrid"

 

[Luc@]

What did you think when a 28-year-old Higuain moved to Juve for £75m?

That Napoli was robbing us (and I love Higuain as a player).

 

[Super_horns]

Looks like he already trying to push his weight around by demanding PSG sell Cavani .

 

[JimJams]

Has he? Thats escalated from wanting a penalty.
Dani Alves was nawty for that too.