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French Ligue 1

I joined PSG for Challenges, Not Money, Says Neymar

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Neymar Jr completed his switch to Paris Saint-Germain as the world’s most expensive player, a tag that is considered will be a burden on him.

But the Brazilian has dismissed that saying, “being the most expensive player in the world is not a burden. I weigh 69kg. I don’t have a burden on me.”

That was while he was answering reporter’s questions at the unveiling event which was live on global television as well as on various social media platforms.

While his move to Paris, hailed, it was with different feelings at Barcelona where he departed. He carefully picked his words while remarking on his former club.

“I have nothing to say really – I’m not sad, I’m really happy. I wrote my chapter there – I won some trophies, I did everything I could there, but you can’t make everyone happy. What I want to say to the fans is: thank you for your friendship.”

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His new home ground is now Parc de Princes, the stadium where Nigeria last won a World Cup match, defeating Bulgaria 1-0 in 1998 before recording another win 16 years later in Brazil.  Neymar was asked who he spoke to at PSG to make the move.

“It was one of the most difficult decisions I’ve made to move. It wasn’t easy at all to leave Barcelona. I had to think, and re-think, and think again about what I wanted to do.

“I leave a lot of good friends behind, but that’s football. Of course I would like to thank all my friends at Barcelona,  but I felt it was the right time to leave and look for new challenges. I spoke with the Brazilian players at PSG – they are my friends, and I feel at home already.”

He was then asked if he was influenced by the Brazilian players at PSG to join the club. “Yes. The environment here is very positive.

“I had to think about what I wanted to do with my life. It’s very complicated to think about this. As soon as I made my decision, when I was 100% sure, I communicated that. My heart told me to come to PSG.”

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While welcoming the good look Brazilian, the PSG president, Al-Khelaifi remarked: “He’s already very handsome, but with the PSG journey, even more so.”

Like in the contract that Neymar signed with FC Barcelona, Al-Khelaifi confirmed there is a buyout clause in Neymar’s new contract, but doesn’t specify the amount.

“When you think about Neymar as a brand, maybe it won’t be so expensive. We’re definitely going to make more money than we spent. We’ve been very transparent from day one about FFP. There’s no problem with that. We have a team working day and night. For anyone worrying about FFP, I say: don’t worry, go and have a coffee.”

Neymar dismissed the wide held belief that the transfer to Paris was mainly for the monetary value. But hear his response: “It’s not about money. Definitely not about money.

“These people don’t know anything about me. Money was never my motivation. I want to be happy, and I want my family to be happy. I’m really sad to hear that people think this way. If it was just about money, I could have gone somewhere else.

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Al-Khelaifi corroborated this, saying “I can guarantee you he didn’t come for money. He could have got more money elsewhere. He came here for the competition, for the challenge.

“Today it’s very positive for us, and it’s a great moment for us. It’s headlines everywhere in the world – we’re going to talk about this transfer for a long time. He didn’t come for money, he came to win trophies. “

Ironically, Neymar Jr contributed to two of the six goals that FC Barcelona scored to eliminate PSG from the last edition of the UEFA Champions League.

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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French Ligue 1

Hakimi now World’s Highest-Paid Fullback after PSG Contract Extension

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After Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi signed a contract extension with French Ligue 1 side, Paris Saint-Germain, he became the World’s most-paid fullback.

The Moroccan international will earn a staggering €70 million in wages over his new five-year deal, cementing his status as football’s highest-paid defender.

He signed a contract extension with the French champions until 2029. The new deal adds three years to his previous contract, which was set to expire in 2026.

His net salary is increasing from €10 million to €14 million per season (€28 million gross).

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French Ligue 1

PSG Leads Others in Race for Ademola Lookman

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The 2024 Ballon d’Or nominee and Super Eagles winger, Ademola Lookman, is almost certain to leave the Serie A in the coming winter transfer window following interest from Premiership but the biggest interest is from Paris Saint Germaine.

The AFCON 2024 silver medal winner with Nigeria has been on the radar of the London side, West Ham United and three other sides from the league but all is more certain that the London club will find it difficult to compete for the signature of Atalanta star according to Football Insider.

Reports have suggested that the Irons are ready to swoop for the Nigeria international in the January transfer window.

However, sources say there will be “huge interest” from Europe in the 27-year-old ex-Everton star.

Paris Saint-Germain will be the frontrunner for the forward if he becomes available in the coming months.

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Additionally, Lookman plays in the same area of the pitch as West Ham’s big-money summer signings Crysencio Summerville and Luis Guilherme.

The London-born has raised his stock with his displays for Atalanta since joining from RB Leipzig in 2022.

He finished 14th in the Ballon d’Or rankings this year after leading the Italian side to a Europa League title last term.

Lookman has already hit five goals and contributed five assists in 10 games across all competitions this term.

The forward, who is under contract until June 2026, hit 17 goals and notched 10 assists in 45 appearances last season.

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West Ham are unlikely to have serious funds to spend in the January window after their lavish spending in the off-season.

Julen Lopetegui’s side started slowly and sat 13th in the Premier League after nine games.

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French Ligue 1

PSG to go to court after LFP rule in favour of Mbappe in wage dispute

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 Paris St Germain Press Conference - Paris, France - May 23, 2022 Paris St Germain's Kylian Mbappe and Paris St Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi pose with a shirt during the press conference REUTERS/Christian Hartmann/File Photo

 Paris St Germain will take their wage dispute with Kylian Mbappe to court after the French football league’s governing body (LFP) ruled in favour of the France captain on Friday.

French media reported the 25-year-old, who has not commented on the dispute, is seeking around 55 million euros ($59.52 million) in salary and bonuses he says he is owed by the club.

The Ligue 1 champions, however, say Mbappe’s contract was “legally amended” and that he reneged on commitments when he left the club to join Spanish giants Real Madrid in the close season.

PSG said last month that Mbappe had refused an offer from the LFP to mediate on the issue.

The LFP’s National Joint Appeals Commission heard the parties on Oct. 15 and announced on Friday it had ruled in favour of Mbappe.

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“The club must pay him the salary he is claiming. This decision is not subject to appeal, but may be referred to the FFF (French Football Federation) Executive Committee,” the LFP told Reuters.

However, PSG said they would be “forced to bring the case before the competent courts” while still trying to find an “amicable solution” with Mbappe, who became the French club’s all-time top scorer during his seven-year stay in the capital.

“What is in debate, and will ultimately be heard before an appropriate tribunal, is that the original contract was legally amended in August 2023 relating to the 2024-25 season, and also fully recognised by the player including in January 2024 – until the player then decided to renege all his commitments upon leaving the club,” a PSG spokesperson said.

“As a matter of law and fact, the player has made clear, repeated public and private commitments that the club simply asks are honoured, with the player being afforded unprecedented benefits by the club over seven years in Paris.

“The club hopes these basic commitments will simply be respected, knowing that the club will be forced to have the player’s bad faith judged by the competent courts if the player regrettably seeks to pursue this incomprehensibly damaging dispute, for himself and for French football, further.”

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Mbappe’s representatives were not immediately available for comment.

In January, Mbappe had said he made an agreement with PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi which would “protect all parties and preserve the club’s serenity for the challenges ahead”.

-Reuters

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