Brazil's joint all-time top scorer Neymar is close to agreeing personal terms with Al Hilal as the club negotiates a deal with French capital giants PSG. He will now join Al Hilal on a two-year contract with the option of a third. Neymar will link up with new teammates Kalidou Koulibaly, Rúben Neves, and Sergej Milinković-Savić who all moved to Al Hilal earlier during this open transfer window. Al Hilal are one of four clubs -- along with Al Nassr, Al Ahli, and Al Ittithad that were taken under the ownership of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) in June as part of the country's so-called "Sports Clubs Investment and Privatization Project." Saudi Pro League clubs have aggressively recruited in this transfer window, offering lucrative contracts to some of the sport's biggest stars. 

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Neymar became the most expensive footballer of all time in 2017 when PSG signed him for a record €222m deal from La Liga title holders Barcelona. Neymar's move away from PSG has ended a tumultuous six years in the French capital where he often struggled with injuries and off-field issues.  Neymar has won five Ligue 1 titles and 13 domestic honors in total with PSG, as well as finishing as runner-up in the 2020 Champions League final. His exit also fits PSG's strategy of moving away from the 'Galacticos' era of signing high-profile players for big fees and significant wages, with Lionel Messi also leaving the club earlier this summer. Neymar was understood to be earning in the region of 25m euros (£21.6m) annually at the French side.

He has made 173 appearances for the Parisians but his club at the French capital has also been hampered with ankle injuries. The former Barcelona player had surgery in March that caused him to miss the rest of the season and he only resumed training in July. He missed two of Brazil's matches at the 2022 World Cup after being injured in their opening group match. The forward also missed the 2019 Copa America after suffering torn ligaments in his right ankle and was out for several weeks in 2021 with a similar injury. 

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Reports of Neymar leaving the club come just a few hours after PSG's superstar Kylian Mbappe was reintegrated back into the first-team training squad after he had positive talks with the club. The France forward had been in a contract stand-off amid a desire to join Real Madrid but could now extend his contract at PSG, with his current deal due to expire next June. Mbappe was also left out of the squad for the Lorient game and watched the match from the stands. Paris Saint Germain last month gave Al Hilal permission to talk to Mbappe but the French talisman bluntly rejected even the offer to have a negotiation with them stating that he was only interested in continuing his play in Europe at the moment. Neymar now seems to be following in the footsteps of the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi who joined Al Nassr and Inter Miami respectively. 

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(Image: L'Equipe)