Monaco-PSG is much more than a simple clash on the pitch. This duel also evokes the memory of a player who marked the history of the capital club: Nene. The summer of 2010 will remain etched in the memories of Parisian supporters, because that is when the Brazilian, dazzling in the Monegasque jersey, packed his bags to join PSG. The amount of the transfer? 5 million euros. A sum which, today, seems derisory in the face of price inflation in football, but which above all reveals a stroke of genius on the part of Robin Leproux, then president of PSG.
A transfer with the taste of a miracle
Just a few weeks after a Coupe de France final lost to PSG, Nenê took the plunge to become a Parisian. This transfer was not obvious in a context where PSG, under the management of Colony Capital, had very limited financial resources. Robin Leproux, president of the club at that time, had to show ingenuity to secure the services of the best player in the championship.
“When I arrived, the Colony Capital fund was already spent. I had the smallest budget in the history of PSG. But I went for Nenê in Monaco for €5 million. Today, for this price, you would barely have the little finger of a gamer. He was the best player in the championship, a fantastic player as we like them.”remembers Robin Leproux at the microphone of France Bleu Paris.
Nenê’s talent was obvious, but few imagined to what extent he would become the soul of PSG in an era of transition.
The magic of Nenê under the Parisian jersey
From her first strides at the Parc des Princes, Nenê won over the supporters. His refined technique, his precise free kicks and his vision of the game made him a unique player. He was not only efficient; he was spectacular. Every touch of the ball exuded elegance, and his performances were regularly punctuated with legendary goals. During the 2011-2012 season, he scored 21 goals in the league, a feat for an attacking midfielder.
But beyond the statistics, it was the bond he was able to create with the supporters that made him so special. Nenê was an artist, and the Parc des Princes, his canvas. He embodied a PSG in search of renewal, just before the arrival of Qatari investors.
An end to the story tinged with bitterness
Despite his immense contribution, Nenê’s story at PSG ended on a bitter note. With the arrival of international stars like Zlatan Ibrahimović, the Brazilian saw his role diminish within the team. In January 2013, he left Paris to join the Qatari club Al-Gharafa.
“I would have liked to stay longer, but I will always have incredible memories of my years at PSG”he confided. If the ending left a taste of unfinished business, its passage remains unforgettable.
How much would Nene be worth today?
In a football where transfers today amount to tens, even hundreds of millions of euros, it is fascinating to wonder how much a player like Nenê would be worth in 2024. With his talent, his consistency and his impact on the game, it would not be surprising if its price oscillated between 40 and 60 million euros, or even more.
But Nenê was more than a question of money. He was a player who embodied the essence of football: passion, creativity and magic. For Parisian supporters, he will always remain this magician who arrived for only 5 million euros, but who left an inestimable mark.
And you, how much would you value Nenê today? More than a market value, what is its price in your hearts of supporters?
