If you do not feel the earth move beneath your feet then you are simply not paying attention.

Neymar’s move to Paris Saint-Germain is an era-defining transfer, a deal that most, including much of the Barcelona hierarchy, never thought would happen and now a clear signpost in the history of modern football.

We are already well along the path to financial absurdity. So much so, in fact, that we may have entered through its gates under darkness and, as the sun comes up on a world-record deal that will no doubt be eclipsed again inside a couple of years, we look around us and wonder where we are.

Neymar's career in pictures Show all 12 1 /12 Neymar's career in pictures Neymar's career in pictures Neymar made his debut for Santos aged 17 in 2009 Brazilian forward Neymar, of Santos, gets ready for their 2009 Paulista Championship football derby match against Corinthians, at Pacaembu Stadium, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on March 22, 2009. According to the Brazilian sport media, the 17-year-old football star Neymar, on his fourth match as a professional player, is considered the great young hope on upcoming generation. AFP PHOTO/Mauricio Lima (Photo credit should read MAURICIO LIMA/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures He was tipped to become the heir to Ronaldo’s throne Brazilian striker Ronaldo (L), of Corinthians, greets Neymar, of Santos before the 2009 Paulista Championship football second leg derby final match against Santos, at the Pacaembu Stadium, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on May 3, 2009. AFP PHOTO/Mauricio LIMA (Photo credit should read MAURICIO LIMA/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures Aged 18, he made his international debut for Brazil against the USA in August 2010 in which he scored EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - AUGUST 10: Neymar #11 and Paulo Henrique Ganso #10 of Brazil celebrate Neymar's goal against the U.S. in the first half of a friendly match at the New Meadowlands on August 10, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures Neymar moved to Barcelona in 2013 BARCELONA, SPAIN - JUNE 03: Neymar (C) holds his new jersey with the FC Barcelona Vice-President Josep Maria Bartomeu (L) and FC Barcelona Sport Director Andoni Zubizarreta during the official presentation as a new player of the FC Barcelona at Camp Nou Stadium on June 3, 2013 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures Barcelona charged with tax fraud after Neymar’s transfer revealed to be £71.5m with president Sandro Rosell (pictured) resigning FC Barcelona's new player Brazilian Neymar da Silva Santos Junior (R) poses with Barcelona's President Sandro Rosell at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, on June 3, 2013. Santos and Brazil star Neymar signed a five-year contract with Spanish giants Barcelona. AFP PHOTO/ JOSEP LAGO (Photo credit should read JOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures First La Liga goal 2013/14 against Real Sociedad Barcelona's Brazilian forward Neymar da Silva Santos Junior celebrates his goal during the Spanish league football match FC Barcelona vs Real Sociedad at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on September 24, 2013. AFP PHOTO/ JOSEP LAGO (Photo credit should read JOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures Won the Bronze Boot for the third top goalscorer at his home World Cup SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - JUNE 12: Neymar of Brazil celebrates scoring his second goal on a penalty kick in the second half during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group A match between Brazil and Croatia at Arena de Sao Paulo on June 12, 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Fabrizio Bensch - Pool/Getty Images) Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures 2014/15: Neymar wins the treble with Barcelona Barcelona's Brazilian forward Neymar da Silva Santos Junior delivers a speech as he takes part in the celebrations held for their victory over Juventus, one day after the UEFA Champions League final football, at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on June 7, 2015. Luis Suarez and Neymar scored second-half goals to give Barcelona a 3-1 Champions League final victory over Juventus on June 6, 2015 as the Spaniards became the first team to twice win the European treble. AFP PHOTO/ LLUIS GENE (Photo credit should read LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures Neymar replaces Thiago Silva as Brazil captain HARRISON, NJ - SEPTEMBER 5: Neymar #10 of Brazil moves the ball during their match against the Costa Rica at Red Bull Arena on September 5, 2015 in Harrison, New Jersey. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures Neymar was nominated for the 2015 Ballon d’Or, finishing third behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 11: FIFA Ballon d'Or nominees Neymar Jr of Brazil and FC Barcelona (L), Lionel Messi of Argentina and FC Barcelona (C) and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Real Madrid (R) attend a press conference prior to the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2015 at the Kongresshaus on January 11, 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland. (Photo by Philipp Schmidli/Getty Images) Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures Neymar scores the winning penalty to beat Germany at the Maracana and win Brazil a gold medal at the Olympics before renouncing the captaincy RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 20: Neymar and Brazilian team mates celebrate with their gold medals after winning the Men's Football Final between Brazil and Germany at the Maracana Stadium on Day 15 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on August 20, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) Getty Images Neymar's career in pictures Neymar scored his 100th goal for Barcelona in 2017 against Granada Barcelona's Brazilian forward Neymar da Silva celebrates after scoring during the Spanish league football match Granada FC vs FC Barcelona at Nuevo Los Carmenes stadium in Granada on April 2, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / JORGE GUERRERO (Photo credit should read JORGE GUERRERO/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images

Paris Saint-Germain can be excited about where they are. They have tried several different routes in their desperate quest to join Europe’s superclub elite and have been foiled at every turn. They drained Serie A of some of its prime talent but fell flat, they signed veteran superstars, but got nowhere. Now they are signing a superstar in his prime for a world-record fee. They have arrived, for sure, but where?

PSG will now reassert their dominance in Ligue 1 after last year’s slip, dutifully aided by those clubs that have so readily circled the wagons to keep the Parisians out of the continental elite. Manchester City, Chelsea, Real Madrid and others have picked off Monaco’s young up-and-comers, priming PSG for a waltz to the French title and installing them as a sort of Bayern-on-Seine. Their financial might and playing squad should now be far too good for their rivals and the domestic trophies a formality. Europe is where they will measure themselves, as they had been in recent seasons, but now with not just hope but expectation that they will crack the semi-finals and final rather than leaving the party just as it gets going.

Neymar's career in numbers

There is something poetic too that this is Barcelona who are getting one in the eye. PSG were humiliated at the hands of the Azulgrana in European football’s greatest-ever comeback last season. Barca then tried to take their best player away from them in the shape of Marco Verratti. Paris Saint-Germain have not only stood up to that challenge, they’ve fought back and they have taken an axe to the legs of their Catalan adversaries who, for their part, should have seen it coming.

PSG’s Qatari owners have always had an in-built insecurity about how they were perceived by the biggest clubs in Europe and they are stubborn - and rich - enough to hold firm. They did precisely that when Atletico Madrid tried to nab veteran midfielder Thiago Motta off them last summer, a player on the wrong side of 30 who wasn’t even a key cog for them anymore but who was forced to stay with no negotiation. When it came to Verratti, the response was always more likely to be nuclear and, for Barcelona, this does feel like they simply didn’t see the Parisians coming.

What does it mean for them? Well, it means another season where Real Madrid have strengthened and they have got weaker. Barca saw Madrid win La Liga for the first time in six years last season but they may need to get used to it. Not only are Madrid getting stronger but they’re getting younger. Even if Florentino Perez failed in securing Gianluigi Donnarumma and goes on to miss out on Kylian Mbappé, the strategy is clear and Madrid want to buy up all of Europe’s best young players.

They can afford to do so because their present is so secure. With Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and company, it is only natural to spend all your time recruiting for the future and simply enjoy the present. Domestically they have done that brilliantly by acquiring the likes of Marco Asensio on the cheap and the calibre of squad-building in the capital right now makes Barca look amateur.

The Nou Camp club is wracked by internal politics and Pep Segura has a lot to do in his new, senior role. The pipeline from La Masia to the first team is blocked as Madrid’s academy flourishes, Barca have bought poorly while Madrid recruited wisely and cheaply and, simply put, Barcelona have less money to spend.

PSG stood firm to resist Barcelona's approaches for Marco Verratti (Getty)

When you have less money to spend you need to spend it wisely. They’ve not done that in recent seasons and they don’t look like doing so this summer either. A fruitless chase of Hector Bellerin has its own sequel in the shape of Marco Verratti and Philippe Coutinho may be the third instalment in a blockbuster series. When a club like Barcelona can’t secure its top targets, it usually speaks more to incompetence than anything else.

Perhaps the forgotten man here, in the centre of this whirlwind of money, revenge and empire-building, is Neymar, who will be the face and heart of his new team but becomes a superstar in an uncomfortable place. Anything short of Champions League success will see his move deemed a failure and he has now committed to spending the peak of his career in a league that is still considered by players, agents and coaches to be second tier.

Lionel Messi has not been able to match Neymar's standards over the last two seasons (Getty)

While it has always seemed he was learning well in Messi’s shadow and that he would one day step out of it, this decision appears to be recognition that with the Argentinean’s new deal, that might never happen at Barcelona. It also appears to be motivated by truckloads of money but that is neither here nor there in a game that is already a slave to finances.

But the most important part of it all is this: for stretches of the last two seasons, Neymar has been the best player on the planet, outperforming his teammate Messi and outperforming Cristiano Ronaldo. He is a footballing sensation, and has always been the most likely to break the aforementioned duo’s Ballon d’Oropoly.

In a vacuum, potentially the best player on the planet becoming the most expensive player in football makes all the sense in the world, given how rarely these sorts of deals happen.