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Neymar's transfer from Barcelona to PSG for €222 million makes him the most expensive football player in the world. The Brazilian joined PSG back in 2017 and has remained an integral member of their squad ever since.
Although he initially signed with the Ligue 1 club on a five-year deal, Neymar recently extended his stay in Paris until 2025. Upon joining PSG, the forward was offered the no.10 shirt by former teammate Javier Pastore and duly accepted the welcome gift.
With the arrival of Lionel Messi to PSG this summer, Neymar will be increasingly hopeful of achieving the holy grail by lifting the Champions League next season. In each of the last two seasons, PSG have fallen short of the ultimate prize in European football. However, the club's recruitment in the ongoing transfer window has put them as firm favorites on paper to end the drought in the competition.
Also read: 5 players who could break Neymar's transfer record in the future
Who are the other footballers to have fetched massive transfer fees like Neymar?
Since the record-breaking transfer of Neymar to PSG, several clubs have shelled out exorbitant sums on players. Kylian Mbappe, who joined PSG from Ligue 1 rivals Monaco, is the second-most expensive footballer in the world after being transferred for a sum of €180 million in 2018.
La Liga giants Barcelona are home to the third-most expensive player in the world in Philippe Coutinho (€145 million). Atletico Madrid's Joao Felix (€126 million) and Antoine Griezmann (€120 million), who is currently on the books at Barcelona, occupy fourth and fifth place.
Premier League giants Manchester City and Chelsea have also shelled out club-record deals, more recently. Jack Grealish (€117 million) became the most expensive British signing of all time when Manchester City roped him in. Meanwhile, Romelu Lukaku (€115 million) has returned to familiar surroundings at Chelsea in the most expensive signing made by the Blues.
Despite the hefty price-tags attached to their names, these big-money moves are not always guaranteed to succeed. Notably, Barcelona have broken their club-record deal thrice since the departure of Neymar in 2017 and all three of their record-arrivals have failed to live up to expectations.
