Following a disappointing season that saw them fall to eventual champion Bayern Munich in the 2012-2013 UEFA Champions League semifinals, Barcelona added to their already formidable offensive attack Monday with a major signing that is sure to garner plenty of attention around the soccer world. Ending a strong competition between Barca and rival Real Madrid, ESPN reports that former Santos star Neymar has agreed to join Lionel Messi and the Barcelona club beginning next season.
Neymar, a 21-year-old rising talent from Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil, joins a Barcelona team that will now be expected to score at a tremendous level given the potential capabilities the one-two punch of Neymar and the four-time player of the year possess. Excited about his move to the Spanish club, Neymar addressed those who made the trip to Camp Nou to welcome their newest member.
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"I am very happy, very moved to be a Barcelona player and fulfill my dream," Neymar said. "I want to help the team. I have come to add my part so that Lionel Messi continues to be the best player in the world."
Departing Santos after five seasons, the star forward notched 54 goals in 103 appearances with the Brazilian club. As a member of the Brazilian national team, Neymar has displayed his ability to perform at a high level on multiple stages as he's collected 20 goals in 33 games with the national squad since making his debut in 2010. Hoping he can bring Barcelona back to a level of dominance, many of Neymar's new teammates praised the signing of the growing talent.
"He can bring us a lot because he is very talented player," Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta said. "He brings his ability to break down defenses, to score, and to entertain. He is young. He has a long path ahead of him, and he is coming to the best place to grow. Let him do what he does best, that is enough. It is great news that we can count on him. Surrounded by the people he will have here, he will get better and better. Great players always understand one another. Leo will be make Neymar better, and Neymar will make Leo better."
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Agreeing to the terms of a deal with Barcelona last month, Neymar passed his physical and finalized a five-year deal with the club that will earn him 57 million euros. While the money is certainly a nice asset, the newest member of Barcelona noted that his overall happiness and a new challenge were the driving factors behind his decision to move.
"Money is OK but happiness takes priority," Neymar said to BBC Sports. "We decided to come to Barcelona. I had a lot of offers but I followed my heart. I think adjusting to European football may be difficult but I hope to adjust quickly."
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The contract for Neymar will last through the 2018 season and in addition to gaining additional notoriety, the forward knows playing with some of the best players in the world will not only help him as an individual, but the Barca club should be better for it as well.
"I've never worried about being the best in the world," he said to BBC Sports. "The best is already here and that's Messi. I'm one of the luckiest men in the world to be able to play with him and it's an honor. I'm very happy to be realizing my life's dream. To have the opportunity to play with great players I admire like Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta, I've begun a new stage of my life and I'm going to be very happy and achieve a lot."
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