Report: Neymar's transfer to Paris Saint-Germain will total €500M
It's actually going to happen.
Neymar informed Barcelona on Wednesday that he wants to complete a world-record transfer to Paris Saint-Germain, but the switch is expected to cost much more than the Brazilian's €222-million release clause.
Related: Barcelona confirms Neymar has decided to leave
After the transaction is complete, Neymar's wages and bonuses over a five-year contract will drive the cost of the immense deal to €500 million, sources told Sky Sports News' Bryan Swanson.
That's nearly $171 million (around €144 million) more than the country of Tonga's projected gross domestic product for 2017.
It was reported earlier Wednesday that Neymar would take home an annual salary of €30 million after tax, which would apparently be supplemented by another €128 million in potential payments to the player and his representatives.
Barcelona requested that the €222 million be "deposited in its entirety" rather than in instalments, and the 25-year-old's unveiling is anticipated to take place Friday at the latest.
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
Neymar decided to leave Barcelona in early July following talks in Rio de Janeiro, Swanson reports. His father was at the forefront of negotiations, and it's been speculated that the forward views the opportunity to plunder the game's highest individual honours in the French capital as greater than it is while labouring under the shadow of Lionel Messi at Barcelona.
Related - Watch: Messi wishes Neymar good luck in Instagram post
For their part in brokering such the world-record transfer, the player's father and advisor, Neymar Sr., and others including agent Pini Zahavi will enjoy a share of €38 million, the Guardian's Sid Lowe, Julien Laurens, and Andy Hunter report.
La Liga has already lent its support to one of its famed teams, declaring it will report Paris Saint-Germain to UEFA for a breach of Financial Fair Play regulations in signing Neymar. PSG is apparently working to ensure it complies with those laws.
Neymar's shift may foreshadow a frenzied spell of transfer activity as the domestic campaigns draw nearer to their respective kickoffs. Barcelona fans will demand at least one marquee signing to tend to the loss of Neymar, and an approach for Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho has allegedly been in the works for a while.
Barcelona could also revisit its interest in PSG's Marco Verratti.