There was a time when sticking a ridiculously-inflated buyout clause in a football player’s contract was an effective way of warding off interest from other clubs.
However, as Neymar’s summer switch from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain made clear, even the most eye-watering of buyout clauses don’t seem to bother wealthy, Gulf state-backed football clubs.
The release clause in the Brazilian’s Barca deal stood at £200m – more than double the £89m world record transfer fee that Manchester United had forked out for Paul Pogba. PSG’s Qatari owners stumped up the cash, and Neymar was off to the French capital faster than anyone could utter the words “financial fair play”.
The move hasn’t gone down well in Spain. Barca have indicated that, although powerless to stop the move, they intend to take legal action against the player for breach of contract. La Liga have also called on Uefa to investigate PSG and, interestingly, Manchester City in relation to the governing body’s FFP regulations.
With reports refusing to die down that City are plotting a move for Lionel Messi, some have suggested there may be a genuine fear in Spain that Pep Guardiola’s team – backed by Abu Dhabi royal family members – are willing to meet a clause in the Argentine’s new Barca deal.
Despite reports that Messi has agreed an extension with the club, nothing has been signed yet. According to the Mirror, the contract offer he’s received from the club includes a release fee of €300m (£276m).
Although arguably the greatest player in the game’s history, the idea of City (or any other club) paying this kind of money for someone over the age of 30 seems a little far-fetched. Next summer, Messi will turn 31 – six years older than Neymar was at the time of his move to PSG. The idea of him costing £76m more, regardless of how brilliant he’s been throughout his career, would come as a surprise.
