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Neymar Jr.'s Former Agent Discusses 'Unforgettable Cheque' From $240m PSG Move

Originally posted on PSG on SI | By Euan Burns | Last updated Mar 31, 2025 9:15 AM ET

Neymar Jr. and Paris Saint-Germain arguably changed the face of transfers in soccer when they agreed to a $240m deal with Barcelona to sign the Brazilian star in 2017.

It is a transfer fee that has never been beaten, and it raised the widely accepted upper ceiling of what a footballer can really be worth. Since that move, +$100m transfers have become a regular occurrence, when before, they were few and far between.

It was a clear sign of intent from PSG and the Qatari ownership. They wanted the best players in the world and they were prepared to pay more than anyone ever has before for them.

Speaking during an interview with Complément d’enquête, Neymar's agent at the time, Wagner Ribeiro, recalled the giddy excitement that came with seeing the cheque that PSG had written.

It was an unforgettable cheque. We even took a photo of it – €220m! [$240m] There won’t be any other transfers of this magnitude. It came from the Qatari bank and was written in Arabic. I didn’t understand all of it but I will never forget the figure. It was almost unreal.Wagner Ribeiro

Naturally, Neymar received a notable wage hike when he moved to PSG. Ribeiro admitted that PSG was hell-bent on winning the Champions League, something the team failed to do with Neymar on the books.

Neymar went from a salary of €25m [$27m] at Barça to €40m [$43m] at PSG. Nasser spent without counting because he absolutely wanted the title [Champions League]. With them, there are no limits: when they want something, they get it.Wagner Ribeiro

Neymar won Ligue 1 five times with PSG before he moved to Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia for $97.3m in 2023. He is now back at Santos in Brazil, the team he developed at before initially joining Barcelona.

This article first appeared on PSG on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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