Neymar has committed his future to Barcelona by signing a five-year contract extension at the Nou Camp.
The Brazilian superstar will remain with the Catalan side until 2021
under the terms of his new deal, with Barca inserting some eye-watering
buy-out clauses into the contract. Any clubs wishing to purchase the
24-year-old must stump up £167million euros for the first year of the
new contract, £185m for the second and £210m for the remaining three.
The news ends speculation linking Neymar with a move to Manchester
United, while Paris Saint-Germain are also known to have been potential
suitors for the man who scored 31 goals in 49 appearances in all
competitions last season. A statement on Barcelona’s official website
read: ‘FC Barcelona and the player Neymar Jr. have signed a contract
extension for the footballer which will keep him at the Club for the
next five seasons, until 30 June 2021.
“On 15 July in Barcelona, before the player joins up with the
Brazilian national side for the Olympic Games, the agreement will be
presented formally.” Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu hopes that
Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano will follow Neymar in pledging their
future to the club.
“We need to renew (the contract of) Messi and also (Javier)
Mascherano, as well as lots of other players that we want to stay
because they deserve it,” he said during a marathon press conference on
Thursday, which lasted almost four hours.
