2 Sep 2017

UEFA to look at $358 million Neymar fee

8:55 am on 2 September 2017

European soccer officials are to investigate record transfer fees paid by the French club who signed Brazlian superstar Neymar in a $358 million dollar deal.

Neymar is introduced to PSG fans.

Neymar is introduced to PSG fans. Photo: Photosport

Paris St Germain smashed the $358 million record transfer fee when they signed Neymar from Barcelona earlier this year.

They followed it up by recruiting another of the world's most highly sought- after players, Kylian Mbappe, on a season-long loan deal from French champions Monaco.

That deal comes with what was described as an option - but is thought to be an obligation - to then purchase the player next summer for a fee of around $300 million , which would currently be the second-highest fee ever paid for a player.

European football's governing body UEFA says it will be looking at the deals under its Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.

The FFP rules were introduced by UEFA's former president Michel Platini in a bid to ensure clubs lived within their means and only spent in proportion to their revenue.

UEFA released a statement which read: "The investigatory chamber of the UEFA Club Financial Control Body has opened a formal investigation into Paris St Germain as part of its ongoing monitoring of clubs under Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.

"The investigation will focus on the compliance of the club with the break-even requirement, particularly in light of its recent transfer activity."

Paris St German has responded by saying it will demonstrate that it respected Financial Fair Play rules.

"The club is surprised by such a decision, since it constantly kept UEFA's Financial Fair Play teams informed of the impact of all the player transfers carried out this summer despite not being obliged to do so," it said in a statement.

-AAP