Football’s whistleblowing site ‘Football Leaks’, which earlier this season revealed the contract details of Gareth Bale and Antonio Martial, leaked Neymar’s contract with Barcelona yesterday.
The 13-page document published by the site appears to show that the Brazilian superstar earns a comparatively modest basic wage of £77,000 per week. However, the contract has a series of lucrative bonus fees and top-up payments mentioned inside alongside an assurance that, with bonuses, the footballer is guaranteed to earn a figure of at least £39.7million over the five years of the contract. This should bring his actual earning to the levels of what expected for a player of Neymar’s stature.
However, our folks at twitter was content to pick only the £77,000-a-week revelation and put it against Jonjo Shelvey’s weekly wage. The Newcastle midfielder currently pockets £80,000 a week, and according to multiple reports, the Magpies didn’t negotiate a pay cut for the midfielder should they get relegated to the Championship.
Just let this sink in. Jonjo Shelvey apparently earns more at Newcastle than Neymar does at Barcelona. pic.twitter.com/KFbrs9sFuO
— Adam Marsh (@A_lemony_llama) April 12, 2016
Suddenly, there is a Championship-bound player earning more than a Balon D’Or nominee, and the twitter went nuts. Here are some of the best tweets.
I’m late to this but…Jonjo Shelvey earns more than Neymar?! pic.twitter.com/vwU3CCUrla
— Busby MUFC (@BusbyMUFC) April 12, 2016
According to today’s papers, Shelvey earns a higher basic wage than Neymar. Let’s compare the two… pic.twitter.com/hjMWMIKjd2
— Paddy Power (@paddypower) April 12, 2016
just seen that neymar earns £77,000 a week yet jonjo shelvey earns £80,000 a week at Newcastle . for that alone they should be relegated
— jamiebarlow1 (@jamiebarlow1) April 12, 2016
Neymar – £77k per week
— Nezza (@leonnezza) April 12, 2016
Shelvey – £80k per week pic.twitter.com/Ty9cjIGQof
@adamp29 Time to ask for a pay rise!
— Nikki Stasyszyn (@Nikstas86) April 12, 2016
So if Newcastle get relegated, Shelvey will be earning £80k-a-week, that is MORE than Neymar earns at Barcelona!https://t.co/Q55fbnYihh
— Kevin Quinn Tips (@KevinQuinnTips) April 12, 2016