Neymar’s eye-watering Ballon d’Or bonus revealed

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Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly ready to hand Neymar a stunning bonus if he wins the Ballon d’Or in December.

PARIS — Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly ready to hand Neymar a stunning bonus if he wins the Ballon d’Or in December.

The Brazilian, who became the world’s most expensive player when PSG shelled out £199 million to land the player from Barcelona in the summer, is on the 30-man shortlist to land the prize.

And according to French outlet Le Parisien, the 25-year-old will pocket €3 million, should he beat out the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to the prize.

It’s not just a one-off either —his deal with the French side runs until 2022 and he will claim the bonus every time he wins the award.

Neymar came third in voting the award in 2015, behind Messi and Ronaldo who between them have won the trophy every year since Kaka claimed the prize in 2007.

The €3 million bonus equates to a whole month’s net pay for Neymar and he has admitted that lifting the trophy is on his to-do list.

“To win the Ballon d’Or is something that I’ve set as a goal, it would be a personal victory. But I’m not in a hurry,” he said last year.

He also has the backing of his coach Unai Emery, who last week admitted that the club want to see him win the award.

“Neymar is a player with many qualities — he is able to win the Ballon d’Or. We want the best for him and to help him win this trophy,” he said.

Ronaldo is the clear favourite to win the trophy for a second year in a row as he looks to equal Messi’s record of five overall wins, after the Real Madrid man won La Liga and the Champions League this last season. —Mirror