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UEFA warns PSG 'tell us how you're going to pay for Neymar'

Uefa will demand to know how Paris Saint-Germain intend to finance their world-record £198 million transfer deal for Barcelona’s Brazilian superstar Neymar, with European football’s governing body reiterating its stance that financial fair play rules will be enforced.

On a dramatic day, Barcelona announced on Wednesday that Neymar, 25, had told them of his intention to leave and that in response had said he could only do so on payment of the £198 million (€222m) buy-out clause included in the new contract he signed last year.

It is anticipated that the Qatari-owned PSG will pay it in full although the structure of the deal, expected to be €450m in total, will have to pass Uefa’s financial fair play (FFP) rules.

Neymar is expected to earn around €55m a year before tax meaning that the total deal, spread over the course of a five-year contract, could cost €90m annually - almost a quarter of PSG’s current annual revenue of €389.6m.
In a statement to Telegraph Sport , Uefa reiterated its stance that FFP would be enforced, saying the organisation is “exceptionally serious” that clubs are not permitted to make losses in excess of €30 million over three years.

When the deal goes through it will more than double the current world-record transfer fee, the £89m paid by Manchester United to Juventus for Paul Pogba last summer, and it will make Neymar the world’s best-paid player.

Barcelona are expected to make a further offer for Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho although Jurgen Klopp has said once again that the club will not entertain offers at any level for the Brazilian. Barcelona may yet try to hit back by signing Monaco’s 18-year-old striker Kylian Mbappe, a target for Real Madrid this summer.

Uefa’s FFP chief, Andrea Traverso, head of club licensing, has repeated in recent weeks that the organisation will pursue the FFP measures brought in by former president Michel Platini. While Fifa are responsible for regulating football’s transfer market, Uefa is also confident that there is no loophole that can be exploited by PSG owner’s, Qatari Sports Investments, to circumvent rules.

There have been reports that the Qatari state might pay Neymar the buy-out fee which he would lodge personally to achieve free agency, thus ensuring that any transfer fee was not paid by PSG. There are suggestions he may also be paid separately as an ambassador for the 2022 World Cup finals. Article 72 of the FFP regulations is intended to mitigate against any attempts by clubs to circumvent legislation.

Telegraph UK



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