Neymar was greeted with much fanfare as he arrived in Saudi Arabia where he joins a growing list of big names lured to the oil-rich kingdom.
The 31-year-old Brazil forward who will be un-veiled as an Al-Hilal player on Saturday after six seasons with French champions Paris Saint-Germain landed in a Riyadh airport equipped with extra security for the occasion.
Neymar was received in an airport lounge packed with club officials and press, a large diamond-studded cross hanging around his neck as he posed for pictures. A rock star welcome will await him at the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh where he will be unveiled before thousands of fans on Saturday.
“We will hold a big party worthy of the samba dancer,” said an al-Hilal official who requested anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the press.
Neymar’s two-year contract with Al-Hilal will see him earn a salary of around 100 million euros per season, according to sources close to the deal.
He follows Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Sadio Mane in swapping Europe for the Saudi Pro League, which has a hit-list of high-profile targets.
Neymar scored 118 goals in 173 matches for PSG, winning five Ligue 1 titles and three French Cups, but his time at PSG was blighted by a catalogue of injuries.—AFP
