Crazy money for Neymar. It’s a market reaction

Footballer Neymar has a contract with FC Barcelona until 2021, but he is expected to leave the Catalan club. Paris Saint-Germain and its Qatari owners are ready to meet the release clause in Neymar’s contract and pay the 222 million euro fee. The Brazilian will become the most expensive footballer in history. We spoke with long-time player agent and sports law expert Jozef Tokos about the economic and legal aspects of the transfer and what it could mean for world football.

If the Paris club pays the 222 million sum, does Barcelona have any claim to the Brazilian?

I don’t know the exact wording of Neymar’s contract, but if both sides — FC Barcelona and Neymar — agreed at signing that if another club pays the agreed amount, the contract ends, then the player can sign with another club.

Does every player contract contain a clause stating the sum for immediate departure?

So-called release clauses are now very common. Unlike in other countries, in Spain the “cláusula de rescisión” is a mandatory part of the contract. I support this practice. It provides legal certainty and a clear way to end a contract — as long as it’s well written and watertight for both sides. Then it’s beneficial for everyone.

In what way?

The club gets certainty it won’t receive less than the agreed amount during the contract’s validity. The current transfer system is based on contractual stability — meaning a player, unlike a regular employee, cannot unilaterally end a contract without consequences. They would have to compensate the club financially and could even face sporting sanctions. On the other hand, sometimes a player stays against their will because the club refuses to let them go. A release clause is a way to agree on an exit in advance.

It seems that for the biggest stars, clubs set extreme figures just to prevent anyone from paying them...

That can be the case. The club may propose a seemingly huge amount, not expecting anyone to pay it. But the player must agree to it — without that, it wouldn’t be valid. Modern contracts have three pillars: duration, salary, and conditions for early departure. The last is easiest to secure by specifying a precise amount.

Barcelona seems surprised Neymar might leave...

It’s an exceptionally high amount, and I’ve noted serious objections and demands for PSG to prove that paying it wouldn’t violate financial fair play rules. That means PSG must also meet income-side requirements set by FIFA and UEFA.

When you draft contracts, do you include release clauses?

If possible, always — especially for long-term contracts. For one-year deals, it’s less important. I like the practice, though the amounts I deal with are incomparable to Neymar’s.

What is your view on such a shocking fee?

Neymar has huge marketing potential, ranking third in the world behind Ronaldo and Messi. If we take the highest recent transfers — for example, Manchester United paid 105 million for Pogba last year — a normal Neymar fee might be 120–150 million. This transfer mirrors market growth, but the jump is too big. Whether PSG can recoup it is questionable, especially if Neymar gets injured. I expect major insurers to get involved.

Is such a sum normal or moral?
It looks excessive. crazy, but it’s a market reaction, a supply-and-demand relationship. The key is whether everything follows the rules and PSG proves it hasn’t broken financial regulations. That will only be clear after longer-term monitoring. I’d also point to other inflated transfers, like players moving to China for 40–70 million, some of them average compared to Neymar.

Before Neymar, Messi and Ronaldo topped the hierarchy and stayed with their clubs. What does that show?
That they weren’t available on the market. A player’s consent is always decisive. Neymar is also younger, which matters. For PSG’s owners, a 200-million Neymar might be more attractive from a marketing standpoint than four 50-million players.

Can such an investment pay off?

It’s hard to assess now. PSG will soon be able to count Neymar shirt sales, see if his arrival attracts other top players, or brings in new sponsors. Real judgment will come in three to four years, after seeing if PSG dominates domestically and wins the Champions League.

Could PSG be doing this to show its power?

Certainly. They will target the French title and the Champions League. Neymar’s arrival signals a new era — a rare case of a player leaving Barcelona or Real Madrid at the peak of both performance and popularity for Paris or elsewhere. Usually, moves go the opposite way.

Is this a trend or a one-off?

It’s a continuation of a trend, but with an unnatural leap. If the amount were under 150 million, it would fit the market pattern. Nobody will top this soon, not even for Messi or Ronaldo. But Neymar’s transfer could widen the gap between the elite and the rest, pushing them further apart.