Neymar: Brazilian Magician
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BOXING | Page 6 GOLF | Page 7 Klitschko McIlroy hopes announces caddie split immediate brings positive retirement results Friday, August 4, 2017 MOTOGP Dhul-Qa’da 12, 1438 AH Marquez eyes Czech GULF TIMES podium as tight title battle resumes SPORT Page 5 SPOTLIGHT Neymar: Brazilian magician REACTION Neymar can accelerate growth and marketing gold in Ligue 1, says Lille director eymar’s imminent ar- “It is amazing. We invested in His pre-teen skills bewitched Internet users over a decade ago, and now Neymar is set rival at Paris St Ger- Lille knowing that Ligue 1 has a main can help France’s bright future and Neymar is an to dazzle in the French capital with his world-record transfer to Paris Saint-Germain Ligue 1 grow to match accelerator to this bright future NEurope’s powerhouse leagues, of Ligue 1,” he told the BBC’s AFP according to the director general World Service. Paris of top fl ight side Lille. “The young talent pool we The Brazilian striker’s 222 mil- have here is the best in Europe. lion euro transfer from Barcelona That is why France is the number is pre-teen skills be- to PSG hit a glitch yesterday with one exporting country in foot- witched Internet users Spain’s La Liga rejecting the pay- ball. And that is why we think over a decade ago, and ment of Neymar’s release clause Ligue 1 is ripe for growth.” now Brazil’s Neymar is from his contract, although his PSG, owned by the Qatar Hset to dazzle in the French capital move is expected to go through. Sports Investments, are the only with his forecast world-record Provided it does, Neymar will French club in the top 20 of Eu- transfer to European power Paris become the biggest name in Ligue rope’s rich list. Saint-Germain. 1 as mega-rich PSG set their sights But Ingla thinks believes the The French club’s Qatari own- on becoming the powerhouse club arrival of Neymar will the help ers are nothing if not ambitious, of European soccer. others grow and boost the profi le determined to sign Neymar as While the staggering sums of of French football. part of their drive to capture the money involved in the Neymar “I don’t get why (Ligue 1) Champions League. saga have drawn criticism, Lille’s should be number fi ve in terms And to transform PSG into a director general Marc Ingla be- of money generated and audi- European super club, they had no lieves it will help Ligue 1 punch ence generated,” he said. hesitation in making 25-year-old its weight after so long being the “It does not mirror the talent Neymar the world’s most expen- poor relation of Spain’s La Liga, potential we have. So I see Ney- sive player of all-time for a fee that England’s Premier League, the mar’s arrival as an accelerator for will more than double the previous German Bundesliga and Italy’s Ligue 1’s potential and the possi- record paid by Manchester United Serie A. bility to shine globally.” for Paul Pogba last summer. PSG haven’t agreed to pay such a massive amount solely Media hail Neymar ‘transfer of the century’ for the undoubted attention and shirt sales that their new recruit Neymar’s imminent record-shat- French sports daily L’Equipe will garner, but for one of the tering move from Barcelona to devoted their entire front page most gifted players on the planet. Paris Saint-Germain was hailed to a picture of Neymar behind And PSG will be fully expect- as “the signing that changes the the wheel of his car turning up ing him to provide 40-plus goals history of football” by French to say goodbye to his Barcelona a season in all competitions and and Spanish media yesterday. teammates, under the headline, to take the perennial European Papers in both cities went to “He’s arriving”. also-rans all the way to the fi nal town on the Brazilian striker’s In Spain, the coverage was of the Champions League for the forecast 222 million euro ($260 sobre and reflective. fi rst time. This file photo shows Brazil’s national team player million) transfer from the Cata- “The signing that changes the Everything moves fast in foot- Neymar gesturing during a training session. lan giants to PSG. history of football,” wrote Marca, ball, especially for the man who Le Parisien devoted three-quar- while for AS Neymar’s transfer made his professional debut for ters of its front page to the man was a case of “Pay and go”. Santos as a waif-like teenager the late fl urry of goals with a glo- sustained in the quarter-fi nal damaged by tax fraud cases in his for all to see too, his ‘rainbow set to become the world’s most La Vanguardia dwelt on what just eight years ago and joined rious free-kick. against Colombia. homeland and in Spain over the fl icks’ prove that. valuable player. his departure meant for Bacelo- Barcelona in 2013. The hosts famously collapsed murky deal that brought him to But PSG president Nasser al- Under the headline “Neymar na — “Neymar’s escape obliges The apprentice megastar has TIME TO KICK ON in Neymar’s absence to a sen- Barca from Santos in 2013. Khelaifi will be expecting serious to PSG - the transfer of the Barca to reinvent themselves”. had to share the spotlight with On top of his stunning club per- sational 7-1 thrashing by Ger- But other global stars have substance from the biggest star century” was a photograph of Neymar could be unveiled to teammates Lionel Messi and Luis formances, Neymar’s reputation many in the semi-fi nals, but fallen foul of tax authorities to ever play for his club. the 25-year-old ‘photo-shopped’ fans tomorrow evening when Suarez at the Camp Nou, espe- as one of the game’s best players the number 10 has helped them since, including Messi, whilst The Qatari’s dream of lifting sporting a PSG jersey. PSG open their new Ligue 1 cially after injuring himself in the has been enhanced by his per- recover since and they were the Cristiano Ronaldo also faces al- the Champions League trophy “Neymar could be wearing the season against Amiens. 2014 World Cup. formances in Brazilian colours. fi rst South American nation to legations of tax fraud. has faltered time and again, and Parisian shirt from this week” His transfer will more than But his inspirational display He has scored 52 international book their spot in next year’s Neymar is still one of the most Neymar will be under pressure read the caption, with the paper double the record set by Paul in the thrilling climax of Barce- goals in only 77 appearances, and World Cup. marketable athletes in the world, to help Unai Emery’s men deliver devoting its first five pages to Pogba’s 105.2 million euro move lona’s sensational 6-1 Champi- led the fi ve-time world champi- He also turned out for the Ol- and that is one of the biggest rea- that holy grail. his expected arrival. to Manchester United last year. ons League last-16, second-leg, ons to victory in the 2013 Con- ympic side last August, and duly sons why he commanded a new All eyes in France will be wait- comeback against PSG in March federations Cup on home soil. scored the winner in the penalty world record for his services. ing to see if he can deliver on would have convinced the Ligue Despite some controversy shoot-out as Brazil beat Germa- His every move has been fol- the potential that he has shown 1 giants that Neymar was worth over a nasty elbow on Croatia’s ny for gold to earn a small meas- lowed by his near 80 million throughout his career, and fi nally IN SUPPORT the massive investment. Luka Modric, he impressed at the ure of revenge for the humilia- Instagram followers as the deal prove himself to be able to carry a His pass for Sergi Roberto’s World Cup a year later in scor- tion two years before. edged closer. team almost single-handedly to winning goal was one of the ing four goals before having his Back at Barca he established On the pitch, his skill is there major honours. Sailiya goalkeeper Gomez highest quality, having kicked off tournament ended by an injury himself a central part of Barce- lona’s famed ‘MSN’ trio along- French taxman excited by Neymar windfall refuses off ers from Saudi clubs side Messi and Suarez as they French President Macron hails stormed to the 2015 Champions The French taxman is delighted pays his tax here instead of in solidarity with Qatar Neymar move to PSG as ‘good news’ League title, but he managed about the prospect of Brazil- elsewhere.” only 13 league goals last season ian soccer star Neymar joining Neymar’s expected arrival in l Sailiya goalkeeper Gre- French President Em- as the Catalan giants failed to Paris St Germain, the minister France and the huge wage Paris gory Gomez has shown manuel Macron yes- defend the Spanish title. in charge of France’s public ac- St Germain’s Qatari owners will solidarity with Qatar terday gave his seal of counts said yesterday. pay him was music to the ears of against the unjust block- Aade that has been forcibly imposed approval to Brazilian NEYMAR: THE BRAND The striker is expected to join a minister whose radio interview superstar Neymar’s Despite a slightly disappointing the French club on a wage was mainly a defence of unpop- upon the country.