FC Barcelona star Neymar Jr. set to join Paris Saint-Germain

FC Barcelona announced Wednesday that 25-year-old forward Neymar Jr. will be leaving the club. Neymar informed Barcelona on Wednesday morning that he intended to leave the team to join Paris Saint-Germain, which reportedly agreed to pay the €222 million release clause fee to acquire Neymar.

The transfer will leave Barcelona flush with cash but down one superstar, as Neymar had joined with 30-year-old Lionel Messi to form a formidable front line for the Spanish club. Neymar joined Barcelona in 2013, saying in part that he relished the chance to play alongside Messi.

Neymar, who also plays for the Brazilian national team, will not participate in training sessions with FC Barcelona despite remaining under contract with the team until the transfer to PSG is complete. If the transfer goes through, "it will more than double the world record transfer fee," SB Nation notes.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up