Neymar sold to Saudi Al Hilal after Paris Saint-Germain okays two-year deal

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) have agreed on a deal with Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal for the sale of Brazilian forward Neymar with the deal subject to the player completing his medical, the BBC reported on Monday.

Neymar, who joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 from Spanish club Barcelona for a world record transfer fee of 222 million euros ($243 million), missed Paris Saint-Germain's Ligue 1 opener against Lorient on Saturday due to a viral infection.

Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal have agreed a €90 million ($98.6 million) deal with Paris Saint-Germain for Neymar, sources have told ESPN.

ESPN reported on Sunday that Brazil's joint all-time top scorer Neymar was close to agreeing personal terms with Al Hilal as the two clubs negotiated a deal. 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 made the move to Al Hilal earlier this summer.

Al Hilal are one of four clubs along with Al Nassr, Al Ahli and Al Ittithad 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 pursued an aggressive recruitment strategy in this transfer window, offering lucrative contracts to some of the sport's biggest stars.

Paris Saint-Germain made Neymar the most expensive footballer of all time in 2017 -- a record he still holds -- when they dramatically signed him from Barcelona in a €222m deal.

Neymar's move away from Paris Saint-Germain brings an end to 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 honours in total with Paris Saint-Germain, as well as finishing as runner-up in the 2020 Champions League final.