Aulas: PSG signing Neymar for record fee is risky

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has questioned Paris Saint-Germain’s “risky” pursuit of Barcelona star Neymar, claiming it would not be good for French football’s economy.

Ligue 1 giants PSG are reportedly ready to meet Neymar’s €222million release clause as well as offering the Brazil international an annual salary in the region of €30m.

Talk of Neymar – who scored twice against Juventus at the International Champions Cup on Saturday – potentially moving to the French capital has dominated headlines but Aulas is not convinced.

“I’m not sure if it’s positive for the French football economy, if that’s the case,” Aulas told RMC.

“As an economic analyst, I look at what this investment represents. It is more than €500m over five years.

“When we try to create positive dynamics, with added value but also of economic equilibrium, we think that it is very risky.”

Aulas added: “It seems to me that we are not in a coherent economic logic for the French championship. We are not in England with nearly €3billion in revenue for TV rights…But we are in liberal economy, everyone is free to do what they want.”