Neymar's Transfer Saga: Ex-Agent Reveals Real Madrid Pursuit and Barcelona Decision

Former agent Wagner Ribeiro disclosed that he initially aimed to move Brazilian forward Neymar to Real Madrid, but the final decision rested with Neymar's father. Ribeiro said no Real Madrid player contacted Neymar directly, while club president Florentino Pérez only spoke with the player's father and his own representative. He claimed Barcelona players, including Lionel Messi and Gerard Piqué, personally called Neymar to persuade him, leading to his signing with the Catalan club.

Ribeiro also recounted a failed contract with Real Madrid that would have paid Neymar €10,000 a month, and described a later meeting in Ibiza with PSG president Nasser Al‑Khelaifi that resulted in a lucrative deal for the player. According to Ribeiro, PSG offered a salary of €25‑26 million, which Barcelona matched, and Neymar eventually transferred to PSG for €40 million a year.

The ex‑agent suggested that a move to Real Madrid might have helped Neymar win the Ballon d’Or, and he predicted the player could still play in the United States' MLS after his current stint at Santos.