Football
Samuel Marsden 7y

Neymar signs new five-year Barcelona contract until 2021

Neymar said he was "a little intimidated" when he first joined Barcelona, but he now feels at home as he finally put pen to paper on a new five-year deal on Friday.

Barcelona confirmed in July that Neymar had agreed to extend his Camp Nou stay until 2021, and earlier this week said the superstar was set to actually sign the contract.

And on Friday the club released a photo of the Brazilian shaking hands with club president Josep Maria Bartomeu while the ink was drying.

Neymar spoke of his fondness for Barcelona in a video on the team website, though he revealed he was awed by the club before moving from Santos in 2013.

"Barcelona have incredible players. Before I joined the club I was a little intimidated," he said. "But once I got into the dressing room I could see that the players are very humble. They are great teammates and they have become my friends.

"I knew that Barcelona were something great and at first it was hard [to adjust] but they helped me get adapt.

"I feel right at home and I am very happy."

Reports in Spain suggest Neymar's new net salary will be €16 million a year, below the totals earned annually by teammate Lionel Messi and Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo.

Neymar's new buyout clause has been fixed at €200m for the first year of the deal, €222m for the second and will then increase to €250m for the remaining three years.

Since joining Barca three years ago, he has scored 90 goals in 149 games and is in line to make his 150th appearance for the club in Wednesday's Champions League game against Manchester City.

During that time, he has won one Champions League title, two La Ligas, two Copa del Reys, one UEFA Super Cup, one Spanish Super Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup.

He becomes the latest player to sign a new deal following Sergio Busquets last month and Javier Mascherano on Monday.

Spain midfielder Busquets has committed himself to the club until at least 2021, while Mascherano, who had been linked with a switch to Juventus, now has a contract which runs through until 2021.

Barcelona manager Luis Enrique said at a news conference on Friday that adding Neymar's name to that list was "great news" for the club.

"It's the same as all the new contracts. Great news," he said. "It shows the player's developed since he came to the club, he's one of the best players in the club.

"It's good to know he's happy at the club and wants to stay here. He gets on with his teammates and wants to continue winning titles."

Luis Suarez is expected to be the next player to sign a new deal as Barca work hard on tying down the key members of Luis Enrique's first team squad.

After the Uruguayan, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Ivan Rakitic, Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta are all in line to extend their stays with the Catalan club.

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