Kylian Mbappe looks selfish.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was acquired by Qatar Sports Invest (QSI) in 2011. The oil money was used to bring in big names like Thiago Silva, Edinson Cavani, Angel Di Maria, Javier Pastore, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic. But the best is the MNM line. Neymar broke the world record with a whopping €222 million ($319 billion). Mbappe left AS Monaco for €180 million. Lionel Messi was signed as a free agent, but for an astronomical fee.
The goal was clear. Win the UEFA Champions League (UCL), one of soccer’s most prestigious competitions. PSG was going to do it with the “MNM line” of Messi, Mbappe, and Neymar. It was a game-changing combination, but it was all for naught. PSG was knocked out in the round of 16 for the second consecutive season by Real Madrid in 2021-22 (2-3 elimination on aggregate) and Bayern Munich in 2022-23 (0-3 elimination on aggregate).
Eventually, the “MNM line” was dismantled. First, Messi fell out with the team over an unauthorized trip to Saudi Arabia. Despite a public apology, the controversy didn’t go away. There were even boos for Messi at the Parc des Princes. Eventually, Messi left Paris without a contract extension.
Messi narrowed down his options to two destinations. Saudi Arabia, with its astronomical money, and his hometown team Barcelona, where he could have a last dance in Europe.
The money was the main attraction for the Saudis. As he approaches the point of hanging up his cleats and retiring, he’ll be able to accumulate wealth from his huge salary. Barcelona, on the other hand, had the advantage of continuing to compete at the highest level. Messi was known to want to play in Europe until the 2024 Copa America, so a return to his hometown team was a possibility.
But the choice was unexpected. He chose Miami, a city that had been mentioned in the past. While not as lucrative as Saudi Arabia, the salary is astronomical and the infrastructure is optimal. Messi will earn up to $60 million in base salary alone in Miami.
Neymar, who has been rumored to be on the move, is also in jeopardy. There have been offers from Saudi Arabia, which has been luring superstars with oil money. “PSG is eager to say goodbye to Neymar,” said ‘CBS Sports’ in the United States. The Saudis are ready to make a huge offer for Neymar. The decision hinges on whether Neymar wants to end his career at the highest level.”
“The Al Hilal leadership plans to travel to Paris, France, to confirm the signing of Neymar. The personal terms are expected to be similar to Cristiano Ronaldo’s €200 million annual salary. Al Hilal are also willing to pay a transfer fee of €45 million for Neymar, but have not yet held talks with PSG.” 안전놀이터
Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nasr), N’Golo Kante, Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad), Khalidou Koulibaly, Nabil Neves (Al Hilal), Edouard Mendy, Roberto Firmino (Al Ahli), and many more in the Saudi Professional League. It was reported that state-funded Al-Hilal made an approach for Neymar, but the player ultimately decided to stay at PSG.