Neymar breaks Lukaku's record with Saudi transfer

Neymar breaks Lukaku's record with Saudi transfer

Faruq Ibrahim 23:57 - 15.08.2023

Neymar has set a new record following his luxurious move to the Saudi Professional League.

Following the confirmation of Neymar's transfer from Paris Saint-Germain to Al-Hilal in the Saudi Professional League, the Brazilian has now surpassed Romelu Lukaku's record. 

Neymar moves to Al-Hilal

As Pulse Sports can confirm, global superstar Neymar has officially completed his move to the Gulf and is set to earn around $300 million over his two-year contract. 

The move has been on the cards in recent weeks, following PSG's choice to put the playmaker on the transfer market.

Despite interest from European clubs like Manchester United and Barcelona, only the Saudi club could match the Parisians' demands for Neymar, narrowing the player's choices.  

Reports surfaced earlier that he was set to join; however, he has now been confirmed and subsequently unveiled. 

Neymar surpasses Lukaku 

Before Neymar's move to Saudi Arabia, Chelsea forward Romelu Lukaku held the record for the highest cumulative transfer fee spent for his services.  

Chelsea paid €15 million to Anderlecht for his services in 2011, before selling him to Everton for €35.4 million in 2014. He moved from Merseyside to Manchester United in 2017 for €84.7 million, and then to Inter for €74 million, before returning to Chelsea for €113 million in the summer of 2021, totalling €333.4 million, per FootballTransfers.

Neymar has made fewer moves in his career but has commanded a huge transfer fee each time.  

Although still a contested figure, Barcelona paid a reported €88 million fee to sign Neymar from Santos, a Brazilian League record at the time. He left Barcelona to join PSG for what is, to this day, the world record transfer fee of €222 million, and his reported move to Saudi Arabia cost Al-Hilal €80 million in transfer fees to PSG. 

This adds up to a total of €390 million, which takes him past the previous record holder, Lukaku.

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