The future of Brazilian starlet Neymar has been laid to rest following the announcement of the forward's intention to join Barcelona for the 2013/14 Spanish La Liga season. Neymar, who boasts a record of fifty-four goals in one hundred and four appearances for Brazilian side Santos, was booed by the Santos support as he took to the field last night for his final game for them. He couldn't find a way to lift the side during his swansong, who drew 0-0 away at Flamengo in the opening round of the Brazilian Championship. The transfer has been long and complex, not least due to the recent economic boom that Brazil has been enjoying. As recently as five years ago, a player of such prodigious talent would have been snapped up by a European giant after only a handful of appearances (See Ronaldo, Kaka and Ronaldinho to name a few). There is also many questions surrounding the player's ownership, with the economic rights to the player belonging too Santos as well as two investment groups, DIS and TIESA. In the end it was revealed that all economic rights were to be owned by Santos, with Barcelona reportedly playing the Brazilians €28 million with a further €30 million going to the player over the five year duration of his contract, as well as €9 million in agent's fees. Barcelona's biggest rivals, Real Madrid, attempted to hijack the deal at the last minute. But it was to prove fruitless as a recent unveiling of Barcelona's accounts saw a €10 million payment to Santos and January 2011. The Spanish football daily newspaper Marca, which makes no secret of it's leaning towards Madrid, described the Barça attack of Messi and Neymar next season as ‘frightening'. "It was an honor to have played for this marvelous team Santos. I am so happy I did," he told reporters. "Every child has a dream, either to be a player, a dentist or a reporter. My dream was to become a professional athlete and I have achieved that. Today Barcelona is fulfilling my dream of going to a totally beautiful team," he told Globo. The player signed for Santos in 2003 aged just ten and is the biggest star created by the club since Pele in the 1970s. Neymar will sign for Barcelona today, and will be unveiled following the conclusion of La Liga on June 1. BN
