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Barcelona aren’t in need of another young superstar striker. Then again, no one needs two Ferraris sitting in their driveway.
Good luck finding someone who wouldn’t want the matching pair.
Barca didn’t get their second set of wheels at a bargain rate, but they did get a future superstar who has plenty of tread left on the tires—a superstar who can play alongside Lionel Messi and perhaps, in time, usurp the world’s greatest footballer as he embarks on a career under the bright lights of Camp Nou.
Brazilian phenom Neymar isn’t an unknown, but his move to the Spanish side puts both parties on an even bigger stage. The 21-year-old has the talent, charisma and persona to be a star in any league in the world—and he happens to be headed to a club that oozes superstar talent and massive fanfare.
As reported by BBC Sport last week, Neymar will join Barca on a five-year deal, reportedly worth about €35 million, according to Jack Lang of The Guardian.
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports The move didn’t come without some uncertainty—and there’s no guarantee Neymar will pan out—but by all indications of the budding superstar’s talent and potential, Barcelona didn’t have much of a choice.
When opportunity knocks, Barca often answer the door.
With Messi shouldering much of the offensive workload for the Catalans in recent years, Barcelona now have another tremendous young striker who can help lighten that burden and give opposing clubs another dangerous scoring threat to account for. He’s one of the most electric footballers on the planet, and it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the duo doesn’t absolutely terrorize La Liga play next term.
The benefits to Barca are obvious: Along with immense talent, Neymar also brings an added level of marketability—not that Barcelona was ever in need of more.
Buda Mendes/Getty Images But what’s in it for Neymar?
Other than what should prove to be a ridiculous amount of money under the bright lights of European football, there’s also the matter of playing alongside the best player on the planet.
A move to many European clubs would put Neymar in a situation similar to the one he found himself in at Santos—a superstar expected to carry the load. The pressure would have been tremendous.
But joining a club like Barcelona has opened the door for Neymar to realize his full potential without the pressure of being the face of that club. With Messi already holding that distinction, the 21-year-old can simply play football, and he can play it his way.
That’s not to say that Barcelona won’t attempt to mold the young superstar to play their style of football, but “style” has very little to do with it. For Neymar, playing the game is as simple as bringing flair and energy.
As quoted by David Hytner of The Guardian, the Brazilian simply wants to entertain:
My objective is to entertain. That is the Brazilian mentality when it comes to football. I have always wanted to be a professional player like Pelé. He is a great role model. He played with joy.
Of course, not every footballer can play with “joy” and still dominate the game at a high level. But part of what makes Neymar so special is his enthusiasm and energy. If he brings that on his European journey, no one is going to keep him from being a tremendous asset to Barcelona.
Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports The union between the two parties is a match made in football heaven. Between Barcelona’s worldwide popularity and Neymar’s marketability (the world’s most marketable athlete, according to the Daily Mail), all eyes are destined to be on the Catalans for the foreseeable future.
And with 20 goals in 32 appearances for Santos, Neymar also has the talent to justify the hype. He may not have the same success in his formative years at Barca, but given a little time to transition, the budding superstar could be exactly what Barcelona need to create additional sustainability for a club that is always at the forefront of European football discussion.
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