Barca hires new goalkeeper

The Spanish champions FC Barcelona have reacted to the departure of the previous number 2 Jasper Cillessen and signed the Brazilian Neto of FC Valencia. The 29-year-old goalkeeper is switching to the Catalans for 26 million euros, and nine million euros in bonus payments may be due.

The former Brazilian nationalkeeper will be the new challenger of the German regular goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Neto receives a four-year contract until summer 2023, in which an exit clause of 200 million euros is stipulated. The goalkeeper was Gianluigi Buffon’s Juventus representative until 2017, when he became FC Valencia’s new regular keeper. Neto played 80 games in two years for the Spanish Cup winner.

FC Barcelona’s number two so far, Jasper Cillessen, had only taken the opposite path on Tuesday. The Dutch national goalkeeper had switched to Valencia for a transfer of 35 million. The 30-year-old hadn’t been able to get past the Catalan substitute behind national goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.