EPL executive chairman Richard Scudamore is happy it wasn’t an English club who spent a world record fee to sign Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar, he told Sky Sports.
The Ligue 1 side paid a €222 million buyout to secure the Brazilian’s signature from former club Barcelona last week, very well doubling the previous transfer record Manchester United sent Juventus for Paul Pogba last summer.
“There is a point where you say actually ‘no,'” Scudamore said.
“I am glad that is not us who has got that particular record.
“That is an unusual set of events I think. The Qataris — who own PSG — have suddenly decided they want to make a statement.
“And the rather perverse thing with having these buyout clauses is they are meant to prevent players moving.
“This one was tested and it does not worry me at all and I am kind of sitting here glad it was not a Premier League club who spent that much money on a player.”
Scudamore also told BBC Radio 5 live: “I can’t see anything like that [in the Premier League]. When the previous record was £89m [Pogba], to suddenly go to £200m that is something else going on there.
“They [PSG and their owners] have made a huge statement but I don’t think we are going to see that replicated.”
“The reality is there are pressures everywhere, fans want their clubs to go sign players, always have done.
“The economics of the game are straightforward. Clubs have assets, particularly broadcasting rights, we have global interest in that.
“That generates income, that income is then invested and clubs have always pretty much spent what they can on acquiring talent and then on other infrastructure, like stadia and community schemes.
“We have rules in place that ensure the clubs are sustainable, clearly you cannot pay the absolute top dollar for every player.”
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