In times of crisis for European football, there are still those who are willing to go crazy. But not even Leo Messi's very rich (and highly indebted) Barcelona can afford to pay all together the astronomical sum of 58 million to guarantee the services of the rising star of world football, the Brazilian Neymar. The 20-year-old Santos talent will therefore wear the Blaugrana shirt, but only in 2014 and paying him in installments.
The news, released by the Spanish radio station Cadena Ser, is taken for official: Neymar will land in Catalonia in two years, immediately after the Brazilian World Cup which will surely see him protagonist with the greenish national team, and Sandro Rosell's club has already paid Santos 14,5 million euros, or a quarter of the agreed total.
Barça therefore seems to have got the better of the strong competition from Real Madrid, who had shown great interest in the player in recent months, as well as other major European clubs including Juventus. Neymar will therefore follow the advice of his friend Ronaldo, who has worn both sides of the two Spanish big names: move to Europe as soon as possible to complete his growth and consecrate himself as the new star of international football.
